


Ours

by AikoIsari



Series: Baggage We Carry [2]
Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Genderqueer Character, Hybrids, Magic, Magical Artifacts, Magical Realism, Multi, Non-Graphic Violence, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-09
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2017-12-22 23:29:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 84,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/919307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AikoIsari/pseuds/AikoIsari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Digimon Adventure) AU Dark Masters Arc "Something has gone wrong in that world in the sky and those kids... they feel duty-bound to fix it." A young man is pulled into a spiral of events beyond his control and over his head into a conflict Destiny couldn't even rewrite itself to fix. What happened to the Chosen Children?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hard Times

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome! This is, contrary to the appearance of the story, a fic of the canon with OCs in it. However, before you walk away, the canon shall definitely appear. This is a story about the Chosen Children after all. However, gotta build up to them. Hehe. Until they appear, I hope you enjoy these characters and someone can guess who they could be before we get there. All but one is owned directly by me, and that one is Sayri, who is originally from Naomi Shihoin, who challenged this general idea to me in the first place. Hope she enjoys, hope you all enjoy. If you read Memorial Day, please see that for how I will portray the canon. Enjoy!
> 
> Warning, this story contains violence, swearing, homosexuality (between OCs), innuendo, mentions of past drug abuse, and past references to prejudicial behaviors.
> 
> Any language translations will be at the end. Note: there are a lot of foreign people. XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [03/22/17] This story is currently in revision!
> 
> Okay... that out of the way... welcome! This is, contrary to the appearance of the story, a fic of the canon with OCs in it. However, before you walk away, the canon shall definitely appear. This is a story about the Chosen Children after all. However, gotta build up to them. Hehe. Until they appear, I hope you enjoy these characters and someone can guess who they could be before we get there. All but one is owned directly by me, and that one is Sayri and his family, who is originally from Copper, who challenged this general idea to me in the first place. Hope she enjoys, hope you all enjoy. If you read Memorial Day, please see that for how I will portray the canon. Enjoy!
> 
> Warning, this story contains violence, swearing, homosexuality (between OCs), innuendo, mentions of past drug abuse, and past references to prejudicial behaviors.
> 
> Any language translations will be at the end. Note: there are a lot of foreign people. XD

On August 3rd, 1999, eight children were meant to save the Digital World and Human World from distorting any further, to save everyone from a dismal fate. However, when many people awoke on August 4th, the world did not change. Up in the sky, the stripes of mysterious continents and oceans that could not exist anywhere on earth continued to flicker in and out of view. The monsters invading the planet thinned but continued to appear, leaving destruction in their wake.

Though the world wished to pick up after itself and continue living, it proved impossible. Death tolls continued to climb. The mysterious invaders wreaked further havoc. No heroes arose to fix it.

In the midst of this, the living tried to bring their homes to something bearable. Unfortunately, the battles had only just begun.

_**Episode One: Hard Times** _

When she dreamed, it was cold, cold and underneath an ice flow, or simply underwater, cold that the frostbite just wouldn't progress far enough to warm up again.

Dreams have the frost of knives.

No... Even that was not correct.

What was right or wrong these days?

Sitting up in bed, the little girl stared at the night sky, at the night sky that her mind was trying to persuade her had always been this way. Her heart protested this thought. Her heart said that the strange streaks, so vivid in the darkness, the stripes like a...like another _world_ were not right. It had been different before. The creatures that came from that sky... they weren't supposed to fly or... exist... like that. Not here. Not for long.

 _How do you know?_ Her mind whispered, the traitorous thing.

 _I just do_ , she would say back. She'd argued this with herself many times before. _There have always been different things everywhere, but this is...this a bad difference._

_You aren't a good difference yourself._

This last statement would always end her internal arguments. As she thought it, she would trace her fingers through her hair and silently agree, each and every time.

She did so now, watching her thin arm trace sharp fingers up her head. Threading a lock of thin white through two of them brought her stomach to roll and she coughed. The urge to vomit was back, bubbling with the throb in her head. Every single time she touched this part of her head, the little girl would feel sick.

Because there were ears here, odd ears, ears that shouldn't be here. Pointed and fleshy and soft, where her skin was hard and slow to bleed.

And she couldn't grasp _why._

The little girl's stomach heaved at the simple question and she shifted, rolling from her futon to smack onto the floor. Or she was meant to, but her body swung herself down to touch the carpet without a sound with a reflex people would envy. Placing her other hand over her mouth, she tottered as fast as her legs could carry her to the bathroom.

When finished, she slumped against the chill of the shower door, clutching at her head as if hoping it would do something. When her head did not stop aching, she left the bathroom, walking back to go wriggle under the covers.

"Another bad night, hmm?"

Under the fabric, her ears twitched and she rolled onto her side to peer into the doorway. The woman there merely smiled, clutching a steaming mug in her hands. The scent made the girl's eyes water and her headache seemed to calm a little. If the woman knew this, she paid no mind, instead sitting by the child's feet. Her brown eyes were young, yet the hands that slowly pulled the girl to sit up straight were far too old.

The kindness in these gestures was familiar... but the person was not.

"I woke you up, didn't I?"

The woman tapped her own head. "Insomnia, little one. You haven't managed to do so yet."

"...Oh..." Those words felt like a lie. She sipped at the tea, tasting warm milk and herbs. The combination should not have tasted so nice, but it was very sweet, like there was honey instead of milk. The liquid eased the panic growing in her throat and the thumps in her mind slowed. "... I still don't know," she finally said, the silence between them too big for her.

"It's all right not to know."

Though the woman's words were genuine and earnest... they felt hollow all the same. Her heart knew best, and not knowing what it knew was more frightening than what it didn't know. Even though the girl made no noise to disagree, the woman appeared to take notice of it anyway and chuckled, tapping the smaller hand. "You don't have to believe me."

"I would like to," the younger admitted. It certainly sounded easier to deal with things that way.

The woman smiled, an expression that was just a pretty frown. "Sweet dreams, Kayla." She shut the door behind her and the girl nearly dropped the teacup in her tears.

"That's not my name," she whispered to the broken sky. "I'm not her daughter."

The sky didn't answer.

* * *

He punched the sandbag with a satisfying _thwap_ , hearing italmost hit the wall of the exercise room. He punched again and swung with violent, fast-paced accuracy. "Gah-" Stepping too far, the young man ended up hitting the ground, grimacing through black hair. "Shit"

"Graceful as a deer," sang a voice behind him. "So much for the best of our family, huh Sayri- _ani_?"

Sayri stuck his middle finger up behind his back without looking and pulled himself back to his feet. "You try doing this for an hour solid, _Ru_ _-_ _ru._ "

His younger brother shrugged, scratching at his shirt. "I'd do better than you, that's for sure." Then the other, brown hair sweeping back in front of his eyes, caught the rest of the sentence. "Damn it, stop calling me that!" He rose, hands instantly balling into fists.

"Put your money where your mouth is," the older replied with a shrug, straightening and spinning back to kick the side of his practice bag. "And I might."

Behind him, he heard a shuffling across the foam of the gym floorand thrust his elbow behind him. At the _oof_ of breath, he grinned a little, stepping back on his right foot and throwing the other over his back. "I meant punch the bag for an hour, not fail at sneak attacking me, Teru." His sibling sighed from the ground, then, with a grin that was too fox-like to be anything but evil, grabbed Sayri's ankle and pulled, dragging him to the floor. Sayri swore. "Idiot! That was almost my head!"

"You almost got my spine!" Teru's retort was followed by a quick lunge, which Sayri half-expected, raising his knee to avoid it.

Instead of this, there was an unspectacular _thump_ and his brother almost squeaked at there being sixty pounds of nine-year-old on his back. "Dakota, get off!"

"Breakfast is ready," she reported, ignoring her slightly older brother's gasps for air. "And you two smell like gym class." Her dark nose wrinkled like a cat's and Sayri laughed.

"Got it. I'll go ahead. Help him pack up the dojo for everyone after school, okay?"

"You do it!" Teru snapped in a wheeze while Dakota just sat there, swinging her stick legs back and forth in pride.

Sayri winked. "But you lost, so why should I?" Dakota giggled as he slid the door shut behind him. Then he sighed and looked up at the sky, at the mountains and trees and the ocean that would not fall. It had been two weeks since then, two weeks since homes outside of his area had been demolished by... something. He never understood what."The mysterious world mirage..." He snorted and laughed to himself. "This summer's been a bust..."

At least there was still a sun.

* * *

"Andrea~ What are you doing?"

The young woman didn't answer immediately, hair tie in her mouth. Pulling purple and black hair out of her face, she spat it out onto her knee. "Weekly store run," she finally replied, stretching the tiny elastic tie around her fingers. As she did, the speaker snatched it from her with a mischievous giggle. Andrea raised an eyebrow as her roommate rolled away from her on the top bunk, reaching out with her free hand. "Ivy," she murmured, the closest thing the young woman had to a whine. "Give it back."

Ivy pouted. "Teri's been in her room all day," the younger retorted. "Get her out and I'll give it back. She likes you the best."

"Are you fifteen or five," Andrea muttered with heavy fondness, climbing onto the ladder and yanking the tie from her friend's hand. "If I get her, she'll want to eat something, and she won't be able to eat something if the fridge is empty."

"Muuuuh."

Andrea smiled, a mild indulgence in the curl of her lips, and kissed Ivy on the forehead. "I'll make it a quick trip, all right? Xavier wanted to make zucchini bread."

Ivy's blue eyes sparkled against a tan face. "Really?"

"If you hide his cigarettes, I doubt he will have a choice," she pointed out, grabbing her hair again and tying it back, exposing her ruby-red eyes to the world once more. In the end, it was look like a freak or look like a hobo. Freakishness was apparently normal in this country of Japan, so it was the lesser of two evils. She pushed her bangs back over her forehead and smoothed the creases of her skirt. Dropping to the floor, she pocketed a plastic box on top of her desk.

"Are you sure you're gonna need that for a trip to the store?" Ivy sounded amused, raising her head to nearly smack against the ceiling..

Andrea only shrugged. "Never know when a potential rapist requires a wonderful crotch shot."

Ivy let out a cackle. "Crotch shot... don't let Erin hear you say that." Andrea snorted and headed to the nearest door. She knocked, nearly taking the thing off of its hinges. Ivy went suddenly soner after that single sound. "Andy..."

"What?"

The younger voice sounded as though it was from a mouse hole. "We'll... we'll be able to do this, right? We came all the way here... we can do this, can't we?"

Andrea looked at her, at the big sincerity welling up in those eyes, and shrugged. "I'm not a prophet," she said softly. "All I can do is daydream and hope... but... I think we'll be able to change the worlds... even a little bit. After all..." She smiled, a motion made only with pale, red lips. "He's back in your heart."

Ivy smiled, a little silly smile, and nodded, letting Andrea walk outside. "Be careful, Andy."

"Aren't I always?"

"Not really, no."

* * *

At the sound of the fifth statistical news story, Sayri heard his first brother finally cave. "Dad, this is _depressing_. Can we watch something else?"

Sayri tried not to smile behind his hairbrush as his second brother gave their stick of a father the doe-eyed face he had taught their sister at the age of three. To continue to save his pride, Sayri licked at his fingers and pulled his hair back, tying it back up. He grimaced. Every time he did this, he felt like such a girl. Oh well, he had yet to become Dakota and put _Hello Kitty_ hair clips in it. Though maybe he should start. Haru pleaded again, clearly trying to get the remote to change to the latest incarnation of _Kamen Rider_ or something. Sayri glanced at his mother, silently asking for guidance. She paid him no mind, choosing to gently click her tongue at him instead.

"Son, it will not behave," she said, chucking at his hair's imitation of a blowfish. "Your hair is too much like you, stubborn like a dying tree."

He flushed, cheeks turning dusty red. "M-Mum..." _Did you have to put it like that?_

"What, cub?" His ears turned red and his sister laughed. In response to this, his mother gently swatted at her with her wooden spoon.

He looked down, cheeks and face turning a darker shade of red. "That wasn't very nice..." he finally mumbled because she cowed him and his wolf temper before it could rise.

The woman chuckled. "It is a good lesson for you. People do not always have to be kind." Even though her voice was slow, warm like cocoa, it did not dull the stab of anger in his belly or lower the brightness in his hazel eyes as he thought about those words.

"I know, Mum," he said quietly, gripping his almost forgotten hairbrush so hard his knuckles turned white.

His mother clucked her tongue. "You are such a sensitive thing, my cub." She mussed his hair, making it a bigger mess. "Someday, you will see the mistakes pride can make."

Sayri peeked an eye to look at her. "As you say, Mum," he recited, and she let him go, plopping food at his plate. He did not know how to argue with his mother, her or her great, strong spirit, who had been wise and beautiful before she had even met his father. All he was strong in... was his fists and his justice, which surely could not be enough for this world.

Meanwhile, his father was holding the remote far from his scrawnier brother's reach and Sayri could smile at this, could be content to let his mother bustle around and try to dissuade him from what he felt. It was the one teaching... forgiveness... it was the one teaching of hers he could not obey. He would look at the backs of his hands and recall the nearly broken chain of his exercise bag and remember.

Could remember Teru screaming, could remember all the markers on his desk and the textbooks in the swimming pool.

Those who looked down on others... they could all just disappear.

To him, it was only fitting.

* * *

The world on the other side of the sky was so _diligent._ It kept right on moving, no matter what havoc was wreaked upon it. Such a shame it couldn't regulate itself. It left too many opportunities for food and fun this way.

There was destruction too, of course, always a little of that.

… Oh, what was that?

It was a scent, a very odd smell. No, not odd, attractive, familiar, fun to boast of. Yes, something to eat... but not to simply eat. Strong prey... but frightened.

They would feast... yes they would hunt... but to the victor... went the spoils of fear. The dragons smiled.

Glory to the one with the truest speed.

* * *

Sayri sighed, watching the last pinball fall into the gutter. He was so bad at coordination games. "Teru would laugh at me, can't even rack one hundred thousand at pinball. Maybe I'd be better at Pachinko..." _Oh, that's a stereotype to encourage._

"Hey, move it. Some _pros_ wanna play."

Oh, it was _so_ not his day.

Sayri studiously ignored the nasally jeer and slipped another twenty yen coin into the slot. Licking his lips, he pulled back the spring and launched it, pressing at the flippers with distaste etched into his expression. "Don't see any pros here, Ginga. Not me, not you." He continued to play, merely planting his back foot a little more firmly onto the tiled floor as a hand roughly yanked on the back of his white shirt. "I can finish the game a lot faster if you stop being a prick." Ginga used both hands to try and drag him off and Sayri groaned. "Manager, this is harassment," he muttered and yelped, yanked to spin around. Due to his position, he almost hit his head on the machine. "What the hell?"

"Think you're a funny guy," Ginga said quietly. As always, the kid was alone. A weedy guy, contacts in, better for running than for fighting, Sayri saw "bully victim" and "kiss up" in the exact same part of the bastard's forehead. For all his fruitless efforts, he should have been worthy of pity.

Sayri only glared.

"Think you're the best, don't you?" the other continued. "All cause you can hit someone. All cause you're _different._ "

"No," Sayri said quietly. "I just know I'm better than you. _There's_ a difference."

Ginga laughed. "You're such a hypocrite." Sayri raised an eyebrow.

"Impressed you know what that means."

"I'm more impressed you don't see it," Ginga chuckled. He gestured to Sayri's clothes, the robe he had discarded to the side of the game table, the pendant sparkling in the low lights of the arcade. "Everything's gotta be different with you..."

"Appreciating your heritage doesn't have shit to do with it," he said, balling his hands into careful fists. He wouldn't mind punching his opponent once or twice.

The other rolled his eyes. "And I suppose you not appreciating mine doesn't too, right?"

"That's a rather baseless assumption."

Ginga rolled his eyes, confident in this, in riling Sayri up, as he was in nothing else. "Better figure this out, you _hypocrite_ , before nobody wants to deal with you anymore. Oh wait," He laughed. "No one does."

His fists throbbed and Sayri prepared to swing it. _Liar,_ he hissed in his mind.

"Hey, kid, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Ginga snickered and darted away, leaving Sayri to hurriedly pick up his things and leave. The jangle of the bell chimed in his ear and he grimaced. _Guess that place is out for today._

He spat on the concrete floor as he walked. "I am not wrong," the teen whispered. "They hurt me. They hurt everyone who isn't right. They deserve to be punished."

_Why do people choose to hurt others?_

He didn't understand it at all.

Deciding to let the thoughts go, Sayri looked up at the sky and scowled once again. "Still freaking there." The news reported no change in the continents, and only more destruction of buildings and urban areas. They kept claiming it was monsters, but... even if it was true, they certainly weren't here. It was quiet in this part of Tokyo... and a part of him wondered why. "It's so weird..." he muttered. It made his skin crawl.

"Well, you don't look very normal yourself. But you make us very hungry indeed. Does that make you feel any better?"

He grimaced. "Of course not." Cause that was just creepy.

"Good." The words sounded a little smug. "It's good to know eating you is still horrifying."

Sayri whipped around. "Ginga, this isn't a good joke," he warned, raising his fists.

A raspy giggle was the first response to those words. "Perhaps not to you," the voice agreed, which now that he listened, sounded even less like the tweedy bastard than he thought. "But to us, this whole ordeal is rather amusing. A good game, if you will."

Slowly, Sayri looked up, having realized the voice was coming up from the top of a building. His face paled and he gaped. "A... A _dragon?"_ he squeaked. "A.. dragon?"

The yellow creature raised metal wings as if to confirm it, the blade-like "feathers" glinting in the sunlight. "Oh good, it's caught on now," it said, looking delighted by the turn of its mouth. "Bit slow, aren't you?"

"Slow or no," sighed another. "The smell... it's magnificent." It rose into the air. "Smell that fear smell!"

"Always a treat," agreed the first. Sayri tried to breathe, noting the way the two monsters were pointing themselves to crash into his small body. He tried to calm down, to start breathing properly. It wasn't working. Instead, his brain screamed at him to run, and run he did, bolting into the belly of his part of the city.

"Oh, he didn't need the rules at least," said the dragon with a chuckle, pushing off the ground.

Sayri missed these words entirely, only one thought burning through his mind. It was quite a simple thought:

He did not want to die.

* * *

Oh great.

At the sound of a scream, Andrea grimaced, clutching at the paper bags. _Why now?_

Because destiny liked to screw with her life, that's why.

A part of her really hoped it was just a robber, but somehow she doubted that she would get that lucky. She dropped her bags by her bicycle, turning to look at the possible chaos. Concrete flew in the air as two large creatures shrieked their delight to the sky as they flew. On a hunt, the scream said to her. On a hunt and the prey was good today!

Promptly, she bit her tongue. If she started cursing at the sight of two mere dragons, Erin would never let her hear the end of it.

Instead, Andrea dialed on her phone. "Ivy, can you come watch my bike?"

_"Are you getting into fun stuff without me?"_

"Yes, this is just the way I like my afternoons: sunny with a chance of some human corpses."

_"It can't be that bad, we've barely been here that long."_

She sighed."Yes, it is that bad... It looks like Raptordramon." She looked at the trains of cracked street that were left behind. The concrete crumbled, the jagged trails becoming pieces of solid, abnormal cube. "Poor transfers," she mused quietly. "I have to go after them, Ivy, before these fool sods don't have a city anymore."

 _"You righteous idiot,"_ Ivy said softly.

Andrea chuckled. "You love me for it."

 _"We all love you, Andy,"_ the younger girl informed her seriously. _"I'll be there in ten minutes."_

"Good."

Conversation ended, she opened the box in her pocket. Pulling out the knife, Andrea smiled. "Let's dance."

* * *

Her whole body shuddered and the girl felt her hand slip off the bath faucet and smack hard into the tub. She winced and looked at the steaming water before her. Something in her screamed to get away from the water. However, she ignored it, as she ignored her brain's insistence that this was how the world was supposed to be. With timid fingers, she reached to her sweater and slipped it off. It never felt right to not have her arms covered, to even have her hands without gloves. Uncovering her skin, her skin that was overlapped with many fading scars, ending with crosses on her hands, and she was eager to scrub them clean. Touching them left an odd tingle in her fingers, one that made the room spin. So she undressed herself with her eyes closed to them.

_Kayla, don't force yourself._

The girl shook her head. No. She was not Kayla. She could not be. There was someone else, someone who was screaming her name. Her _real_ name.

Whoever they were, whatever her name was, how could she find it out? Could she?

It was never a question of should or should not, like taking a simple bath was.

"I'm not going to drown," she said aloud to the empty room and the empty apartment. Then, she slipped one small foot in and then the other. The heat flooded her skin and it hurt, gooseflesh rising up her skin like a sudden influx of pimples. "There," the little girl murmured. "Not so bad, now is it? Just have to... make my way the rest of the way down..."

_"Let it drown. It's dead anyway."_

Her throat constricted and the pain rose, this time not in her head, but in her chest, her stomach. She caught a glimpse of her face in the rippling water. Skin too pale, short, white hair that ended lilac framing an expression of absolute horror, absolute fear, it made her stomach turn. That wasn't her face, not the face she was meant to have, not those feral eyes-

_You're panicking. Calm down._

She couldn't. Breathing hard and fast, she stared at them, those hollow eyes that reminded her of moonless nights and the darkest depths of the sea-

Water splashed the ground as she broke her own reflection, diving to rest almost completely under the water. The water still boiled, but she didn't care.

Anything to avoid seeing the bottom of the ocean looking back at her.

* * *

His legs were getting tired and he could still hear them.

Not good.

_What did I do to deserve this?_

He would have screamed this for the world to hear, but he had to focus on getting the heck to... somewhere. Also give his position away even further? No, thank you.

But did he deserve this?

Was it because he was not forgiving enough? Not merciful? Easily angered?

Or was he simply in the wrong place at the wrong time?

A firm hand abruptly closed around his wrist and yanked him into the darkness of the alley, covering his mouth. "Careful," a husky voice whispered in his ear, pulling his frame to theirs. He made out the form of a young woman, who, in appearance, seemed more girl than adult, other than her eyes, red and gleaming bright like rubies. Sayri made to tug himself away from her, but the fingers remained firm. "Don't want to die, do you?" She scrutinized him in the dark, narrowing her big eyes to something somehow predatory.

Sayri gaped and mouthed. "Who... are you?" He had to get away from her. Those things were still after him! They could get her next! Who else had they gotten in this run?

She ignored him, continuing to stare. "Curious... your scent is very strange. So very..." She licked her lips, curling them into a smile. " _Contradictory._ Did you know?"

"W-What are you-" She shushed him and he was forced to swallow a yelp at what felt like a crane crashing onto concrete shattering a nearby building. "What the hell are you going on about?" Now that he could look at her without running away, wasn't she completely nuts? Pale skin, purple hair... was that black in it too? Even for Japan, wasn't that weird? _Maybe she's some American Otaku..._

She sighed a little, like he was just a troublesome bird. "They make so much noise..."

Finally, he managed to break away from her and stare. "Who the hell are you? Do you know what the hell those are? They're trying to kill me! You need to get out of here!" After those words, he nearly tried to move and almost fell, oxygen trying desperately to fill his bloodstream. He coughed, hating that he could be this tired when his death was within walking distance.

The girl only stared at him, releasing his wrist and turning to look out of the alleyway, where the two dragons were converging towards him "My name is Andrea," she said quietly, still not looking in his general direction. Her stance shifted, coiling like a spring. "And those are Digimon, my friend. Invaders from the continents in the sky. Normally, our worlds are separated... but in some cases they appear. As for running... well now," She laughed. "That would defeat the purpose of running here. I am here to kill them."

"What the hell- are you crazy?"

"Yes," she replied. "Though you are not much better. They are after your scent." Sayri looked at himself, bewildered and grateful that his legs were no longer trembling. Andrea shrugged. "Your... ah the word is hard... fear-not-fear scent is drawing them after you... it is so potent." She shrugged. "The smell people normally have on themselves... ah, yes." She pulled a long, beautiful knife from her pocket. " _Hypocrisy_ , yes. It is your hypocrisy that is so potent, and they want to eat it out of you." She hummed a little, apparently pleased with herself. "Explanations shall be forthcoming, and all will be well. For now, however," Unsheathing the blade, she sank it into her palm. "Stay here and I shall dance a dance for you."

Sayri lunged for her and she nimbly spun aside, feet pushing off the wall and throwing her high into the air to land onto the next roof. Cracking her right ankle, she smiled and glanced at the knife, whose blade was darkening a wine-red. "Blutwich Dolch, _anfallen!"_ Around her hands, it pulsed and danced, extending from a knife to a similarly curved blade. "Sabel," she murmured. "No pressure then." As the first turned toward the light of her blade, Andrea rushed forward and sank the blade into the metal on one yellow neck. Motioning its head, the dragon threw her back as easily as it would a small child. However, most small children didn't land on their combat-booted feet.

The dragon smiled. "A new challenger?"

"You could call it that," Andrea agreed softly, slicing her palm for a second time. "Blut," she murmured. _"Sturzen."_ The droplets hissed as they touched the metal. She slashed at the air, sending them soaring. Falling like rain onto the armor, each drop sizzled with the sound of cooking meat, eating into the metal like termites into wood.

The dragon lunged for her, not hissing in pain, but roaring in hopes for a fight, for a meal. As it moved, Sayri saw its body abruptly warp out of place, phasing through a piece of another fallen building. It opened jaws to sink around the small body, but Andrea dropped from her perch like a stone, landing on the concrete and narrowly avoiding a swipe of the creature's claw. The second dragon swiped after that, sending her flying into the wall.

"I applaud your teamwork," she murmured, shaking white powder from the concrete from her head. Blood lightly dripped from one arm, but she seemed to ignore it. "Yet your battlefield knowledge is woefully inadequate. This place where you have rested your wings..." She raised a hand and placed it to the building behind her. "It is my _utopia_."

The building fell.

Sayri turned to run and avoid it, but way too fast, Andrea pushed him to the ground. "Swallow your pride a moment, my friend," she said cheerfully, standing over him with a smile.

"What the heck did you do?"he screamed. "That building could have had people in it!"

"You're welcome," she said, still smiling. "There weren't. More screaming, heavier fall. Besides... such is the least of your troubles, is it not?" Before she turned away, Andrea blinked at him. "You are... really strange," she murmured. "Does your scent spike? Or is is always this strong and weak at once? Is this a trait of..." The ground rumbled behind her. "Well, I'll have to answer my queries later." She turned away and held her blade at her side. "Please stay out of things for a bit longer." She leaped back into the dust cloud and vanished from view.

There, the first dragon was still pulling its head from the rubble, but the second charged for her, fangs bared and claws raised. Lowering its head, the dragon sank fangs into air, and Andrea threw herself over its head, rolling onto the base of its wings. Raising her blade, she thrust it downward...

There was a very loud cracking noise... and nothing more. Even the air was horribly quiet.

The dragon laughed after recovering its wits. "Are you a fool, piercing Chrome with mere steel?"

Andrea laughed and the sound made Sayri's spine tingle. "What is steel," she purred. "Without blood and sweat and tears to forge it?" She stroked the blade with her injured hand and it _screamed_ , turning deep red where it was cracked. "Do not _merely_ call this steel." Each crack creating a deep red tendril that snaked into the armor. "Call this death, as it deserves. _Rust Schrein._ " The armor began to grow, snaking and lengthening over the flesh. Horrified, the dragon began to scream and thrash. Andrea only smiled.

"Such a shame your armor is fused with you, isn't it?" she said softly.

It thrashed to throw her off but within moments, its rigid body hit the ground, mouth opened in a permanent scream. She shook off her cracked blade and sighed at it. Slowly, the cracks vanished, and she turned back to her opponent.

The other dragon had freed itself and at the sight of its former comrade, it roared in rage. The game was over; now it was just the slaughter. It rose and swung a sharp wing and Andrea rolled to the side, only for it to throw her aside like a bowling ball, smacking her frame against the frozen body. She got to her feet and ran, narrowly dodging a lunge of the neck. It roared at her, angry that a fly had frozen its fellow and would not simply be squashed. It crouched low and charged once more.

Andrea smiled.

In its rage, it had not seen what she had been standing by. She forced herself to crouch and slide under the dragon's body and continued its assault... right into the body of the other dragon.

At the sickening sound like falling rocks and howling metal, she sighed. "Chrome... is broken by Chrome, isn't it?" She watched the pieces of the frozen dragon fall and disperse, sliced apart by the wings of its partner. "Do you wish to continue?"

"I wish to kill you," it hissed as it turned. Sayri saw its deep blue eyes, and saw hatred.

He saw the abyss... and it frightened him.

Andrea's ruby-red gaze seemed amused. "I hoped for such words," she proclaimed, and held her blade out to meet the enemy.

Only a heartbeat pulsed between them and then the two moved. Andrea ducked from metal claws and fangs sank into her right arm. She grimaced. "Sorry, my friend, but...dust to dust, or some such." She dropped her blade into her free hand and sliced the throat from end to end, through the metal and out again. It roared, releasing her injured arm and raising a claw...

But she only turned the blade like a dagger and stabbed up, quickly backing away.

The dragon lunged again and its arm vanished. Like its comrade, it began to vanish, each part of it disappearing rapidly into the sky.

Andrea tested her right arm, which hung slightly limp from her shoulder socket. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I suppose," she sighed, holding out her blade. _"Schlafen."_ It shrank into the knife again and she walked to where she had left Sayri, sheathing the knife once more and putting it back in its box. He moved to back away, but she smiled.

"Now," she said, sounding perfectly amicable. "You and I shall be taking a walk."

"How about "no, thank you"," he said quietly.

Her smile widened. "It wasn't a request, my friend."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I have butchered this German, I implore any German speakers or readers to please kindly correct me as I am going into Japanese and Hebrew, not German. I probably will end up studying it and every other language that comes up in here. Don't ask, I love the sound of other languages. Also, I apologize for the lack of symbols for certain letters. I wasn't sure it would transfer over.
> 
> "Blutwich Dolch, anfallen!"- Bloody Dagger, assault!
> 
> "Sabel" -referring to a type of blade known as a saber, or sabre depending on your spelling.
> 
> "Blut"-Blood
> 
> "Sturzen."-Overthrow
> 
> "Rust Schrein"-Rust Shrine
> 
> "Schlafen."-Sleep
> 
> And that's that. Since you have made it all the way to the end, I ask you to please drop a few words in that box there. All comments, witticisms, and questions are adored. Thanks, you guys!


	2. Connect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the update! Officially. Unbetaed, but Edhla will be betaing again.
> 
> Thank you to all reviewers, my favers and follower. I'll be getting to reviews via PM when I'm not worn out from stuff.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> REVISED: 04-05-17. Warning for Sayri's unhealthy views. Edited to gender neutral pronouns for Erin.

This girl had either no shame or no fear. Sayri was not sure which was worse.

Andrea-if that was her name and she wasn't some on-the-run criminal- only a half a meter away, ahead and slow. It was like the more arrogant alley cats. She was giving him a chance to run. To be more accurate, she was giving him a chance to run and get run over. Though her head never turned to check if he was behind her, and her knife was back in its place in her skirt pockets (what skirts had pockets?), he could see her stepping harder on her back foot whenever she walked. The young woman was clearly ready to kick him in the stomach if he so much as turned a foot the other way. Sayri recognized that sort of footwork very well. His mother practiced it with Teru every other day of the week. Unpredictability was his brother's only hope of survival.

Even with her arm injured, if her display was anything to go by, she could carry him under one arm to where she wanted them to go.

_Well why ain't she?_

Since running was a no-go, he decided to examine the checkerboard girl, so at least he had a police profile if he could make it that far. Now that he looked, she was barely at his height. She had a nice figure, not too slender, but not grossly muscular either. (He had to wonder how that worked among other things. And make sure to soap his own mouth before his mother did for his shameless analysis. He was picky, okay?) He had never taken much of an interest in girls, having talked to very few in his sheltered existence. However, he could appreciate them, particularly since this one could fell dragons.

He recalled the sickening _crunch_ , and stopped walking, feeling sick. She stopped as well, and glanced at him, wearing a calm, gentle smile.

"Is something the matter?"

 _Where can I start,_ he wanted to snap, but his self-preservation kicked in just in time to bite his tongue. However, it didn't get enough of his angry thoughts because he still asked. "Did you enjoy that? Killing them, I mean?"

Andrea blinked at him, the slow dog-blink, as if _not_ enjoying it had never crossed her mind. "I enjoy protecting my own," was her slow reply. "I enjoy the thrill of knowing how far I have to go to do so, of knowing I have something worth fighting for."

Sayri raised an eyebrow. "And I qualify for being yours?"

"Yes," she said, shrugging with her non-dangling arm. "You are ours. That is why I am taking you with me: to be with everyone." She turned back to face forward, as if that were all. "Do you not feel the same?"

"No!"

The smile on her face slipped, turning into an upturned smirk. "That's not what your scent says."

Sayri wrinkled his nose. "That's disgusting." He smelled fine. Maybe sweaty but that was no big deal!

A shrug was his answer, with no reaction to the renewed flow of blood from her injured arm. "Your scent, not mine. They did come after you because of it. The Digimon, I mean."

"Was that why you were here to save me?" It occurred to him that he should be thanking her, but he couldn't do it. The gleam in her red eyes made him want to deny her that right by any means possible.

"No." She paused, weighing her words like a holy scripture. "We, my family and I, do not wish to be here. I did not intend to arrive in this place at all, merely to head home and have dinner."

"But," he prodded as they started to walk again. She had already started, and his breath was no longer trying to choke him. Why stop now? And she continued to speak of "we", a we that seemed as synonymous with "I" as the girl's own name.

Andrea shook her head. "We do not wish to be here. However," Her purple and black hair swung in its now loosened ponytail as she walked. "We are needed here, so we are here." Sayri stared made an exasperated noise, hoping to convey his skepticism without words. She let out a sigh. "I am no good at explaining these sorts of matters. Xavier or Jade are smarter. Better with words."

"You're weird," he said before he could stop himself.

She chuckled. "I am not the one with Raptordramon wanting his innards, am I?"

His ears and cheeks flushed red. "It's not like I provoked them or anything"

"No," Andrea agreed. "Your smell is so frightened yet not frightened... weak and trying not to be weak..." Unseen, her expression turned thoughtful and she snapped her fingers. "I assume they could not help themselves."

If he really were a dog, as his mother often jokingly called him, his ears would have gone back. "I don't want to hear about weakness from a girl, especially one who likes hurting people." He shook his head. "I'm not weak. I just don't want to fight."

She had killed them, killed them easily and made them squirm. She had enjoyed every single second. How could someone enjoy that?

_"If only I could make them go away."_

Sayri scowled. "I am not weak," he repeated.

"Then what are you?" she asked, smiling again. Suddenly, he hated the sound of her voice, the lopsided quirk of her mouth. The voice was too deep, not soft like a girl's was supposed to be. _She thinks I'm a freak too... that's it. She's kidnapping me because she thinks I'm a freak and no one would miss me._

_Isn't it true though?_

"You think I have to answer that?" he finally spat, shoulders hunching, eyes avoiding her own.

"No. You will, someday. Everyone does."

He didn't speak again. Neither did she.

In fact, though he dismissed it at the time, Sayri saw her eyes focused on a faraway building, as though it held a secret in its arms.

* * *

The girl scrubbed harder at her skin, at the suds.

There had been a fight. Her body had felt it. It had reverberated in her bones. It had triggered something, thoughts that were hers but not hers.

_Red whipped into her vision and she fell down the stairs. She rose to climb once more and fell further, tumbling to the bottom floor with yelps of pain. She tried to stand, but went dizzy, paws weak and shaking at the sight of so much red in her fur and on the ground. So much of her was red instead of cream, dirty instead of clean. People died in their dirt._

" _Don't look at me with those cursed eyes of yours," whispered the corpse. "Don't you dare."_

She scrubbed harder, until even the unscarred skin was pink and turning red.

" _No rest for the weak," she heard what must have been her own voice answer. "No rest for the minions of fools."_

" _Our master's a fool?" Polite puzzlement registered instead of appalled fear, as it wouldn't from anyone else. What did he have to be afraid of? She was keeping him safe._

_Her mouth gave a bitter scoff, rubbing at scabbing skin beneath regrowing hairs. "All masters are."_

As she drained the water, the girl felt her eyes burn and wiped them with a towel. She had a home, a kind caretaker. Why would she be crying?

None of this belonged to her and they all knew it.

Her head pulsed with pain and with it shifted her ears. They rubbed harshly against the fabric of the towel and in response _it_ swished, as if trying to slash down a fly. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to pretend it was gone, but it continued to move, whipping the air with her discomfort.

_This is all wrong._

If it was wrong, then why did it hurt so much to fix it?

_You cannot be happy until everything is well. Fix it._

"I don't know what to fix," she mumbled, slipping herself back into her bare, thick clothing. Making her slow way out of the bathroom, the girl sighed in both pain and resignation. Her brain had none of its answers, no understanding. It was unfair to keep being asked. Another part of herself chuckled, but said nothing more to this.

So the girl sat out on the concrete of the balcony and rubbed her head, trying to remember,and to send the pain away. The latter did not occur, but in a waterfall's rush, she saw faint images and heard voices as though through water. They were each clamoring for attention, like many children in a small room. In the end it all became a dirty pool of gibberish.

The girl sighed and dismissed her other name from the back of her mind. Then she went to bring out the wash to dry. It was going to rain soon.

Life moved on... and maybe the past would too.

Somehow, 'Kayla' doubted it.

* * *

By the time they had passed the supermarket, Sayri still hadn't mustered up the gratitude he knew that he ought to have.

It didn't seem that Andrea cared about it either.

Someone jangled a bike bell and called behind them. "Andy! Over here!" Sayri turned before Andrea, and looked at the newcomer. Cycling forward was a girl with brown hair, waving one excitable tan hand as she maneuvered the bicycle with the other.

"Ivy," Andrea mumbled, lifting her eyes from the concrete. "Don't fall." A fond smile rose on to her face.

'Ivy's lips turned into an impish smile. "You worry too much," she declared and the bike wobbled as she waved her arms. Sayri went to catch her, and Andrea easily slipped past to catch the bicycle. Unfortunately for Ivy, the sudden loss of movement jolted her off, knocking over the groceries in the basket. Sayri caught her waist as they hit the ground and then yelped in embarrassment, finding his hands dangerously close to her chest. Instantly, he let go, even though the young woman didn't even seem perturbed.

"S-Sorry!"

Ivy giggled. "You missed, though! Your hands needed about two more inches." She brushed herself off and sat up, grinning. She stepped away from him fairly quickly, but turned back, offering a dark hand. "Nice look there," she chirped.

Sayri flushed. She was quite pretty, not the boyish pretty of Andrea, but genuine I-am-a-woman pretty, and it was nice. Her hair was even ordinary, darker brown than her skin barring odd parts of gold. "Um... I... thanks..." She pulled him up and he blinked. "What's up with your pants?"

She glanced at the tears in the fabric like she'd taken to them with a switchblade and crappy zippers, and shrugged. "Fashion sense. Who are you?"

"I-"

"Your scent is strong and weird," she added without preamble, and turned to Andrea. "Andy," she said to the girl as she picked up the fallen items from the basket. Her voice was odd, cute even. It reminded him of his sister's, only a little deeper. "Who is he?"

Like Andrea, she stated the words as fact. Unlike Andrea, she didn't seem to find it all that entertaining. She just seemed to take it as it was. Of course, that difference didn't help in the slightest, but it was nice to have nothing held against him... for once.

He gave a small bow, before Andrea could get a word in. "I'm Sayri. Sayri Chatan. And she's been telling me that little scent thing this whole time," Sayri added with a jerk of the thumb. "Hasn't been very nice about it either."

Andrea finished with the bags and righted the bike, paying him no attention. Ivy, however, giggled, and wrapped her arms around the other's non-injured arm. "Andrea isn't good with strangers." Andrea's face turned a mild pink with embarrassment. She murmured something that made Ivy giggle. "Except with fighting. She has a _lot of fun_ beating people up when they deserve it."

Sayri tried to smirk but only ended up with a grimace, thinking of those dragons... thinking of Ginga. "I got to see that."

Ivy's mouth formed an "O". "Oh, _you're_ why her arm is bleeding," she said, placing a hand to the other's torn up shoulder. Sayri looked away and nodded. Now the gratitude washed up and his throat hurt too much to say anything.

" _Ivinci_ ," Andrea scolded, expression and bike under control. "It was a necessary thing."

Ivy grinned sheepishly. "Of course it was, I wasn't meaning it like that." Her last words were directed at Sayri. "But Andy doesn't chase Raptordramon like that for no reason. They're small fry, you know."

Sayri blinked. "If giant metal dragons are your idea of a small fry, then I'm afraid to know what a real threat looks like."

Ivy -Ivinci?- giggled. "Andy is, of course!"

Andrea smiled a little, pale flush returning to her cheeks.

Sayri felt his heart slow to a more manageable level. Maybe that girl was a little nicer than he thought. That being said... she still hurt creatures for fun.

And that was _not_ okay.

* * *

"One... two... buckle my shoe... three, four..."

"Xavier, shut up."

"What's the magic word, Erin?" The other went back to singing. "Five, six, pick up-"

A hesitant pause. "... Please stop singing that monstrosity."

"I _knew_ you had it in you."

Erin scowled over blue fringe and glared at Xavier, shooting them the bird with their left hand. The man only shrugged, still wearing his mocking smile. They groaned. "You are _such_ a pain in the ass."

"Yes, but I am the pain in the ass paying the bills, aren't I?" Xavier murmured, going back through his perusal of the electricity charges. "Honestly, what is Asteria _doing_ in there?"

Erin ignored the rhetorical question, turning back to pulling their blue hair from their face."Shit's so finicky," they grumbled, attempting to tug their comb through a knot. "Ow!" They hated their hair more than learning calculus.

But they hated looking dirty even more.

Thin fingers gently tugged the abused hair instrument from their clenched fist and Erin heard the sound of someone running it under a faucet. Then the fingers were back on their head, gently tugging the comb through strands of blue.

Erin grunted, lifting their head to they could sit back once more. "...Thanks Jade." There was a sharp tug, forcing them to sit up straight. "Sorry!"

Jade let go of their hair for a moment and slipped their fingers over Erin's cheek, stroking the skin in a manner that Erin knew meant [I'm trying not to hurt you.] The hand ghosted away and the other went right back to work. As he combed, Jade's index finger tapped Erin's forehead. They tapped back and relaxed, trying not to move at the sound of hair ripping by their ears.

"Get a room, the pair of you," Xavier hummed.

"You first." Erin's answer held much less rancor than it would have ten minutes ago. Jade made no silent comeback, merely focused on his work. "Ya ought to become one of those... oh what're they called Jade... a hair stylist!" They winked one amber eye, knowing Jade would be able to make out what they were doing. "F'rget the pot o' gold thingy, we'd be rich in weeks!"

The fingers paused to give scolding taps to Erin's temples. [Don't joke around like that!]

"Jade has a point," Xavier noted, leaving his desk to sit by them. "Dangerous words for dangerous times, Erin."

Erin stuck out their tongue and pouted. "Thanks for ruining the moment, you prudish bastard," they grumbled. "Jade's good! I was just praisin' him." Jade smiled ruefully and pulled themback to an upright place in the chair again, kissing the back of Erin's head. Erin's face flamed, earning laughter.

[Good child.] Jade teased with a light drag of his nails. The other grumbled again, but made no attempt to dissuade him.

Xavier chuckled, then glanced at his desk at the sound of a beep. Going to check the computer monitor, he shook his head. "Asteria," he said with a sigh.

Erin made a noise of dismay and brushed their blue hair easily around their thin face again. "Andrea's still not back yet, either. PRobably crowded at this time of day. Jade, I've got the rest, go on."

Jade nodded and left the room, heading toward the other side of the apartment. His expression was pensive, but calm, and Erin admired him for it. That endless peace was needed more than ever, now that...

Well, things were just different now.

Erin pulled their slight body up from the chair. "I'll go help. You gonna be all right by yourself?" Xavier waved a lazy hand and Erin huffed. They were just asking! Before he could take a few steps, however, a distant smell reached their nose, one from all the way down the stairs. Erin grimaced. "The girls are bringing _prey_ to the dinner table."

Xavier frowned, the posh expression as annoying to see as it must have been to make. "Your terminology is as unflattering as always, Erin."

The other shrugged. "I'm the one running this show," they said with a light sneer towards Xavier's red hair framed face and gentleman _everything_. "You work it, and I host it. That was-"

"Part of the deal," Xavier sighed, the sound all-calming and teasing. "Would it harm you to humor my follies anyway?"

Erin turned red and they shifted on the balls of their feet. "Yer follies 're petty grievances," they mumbled. However, they didn't continue, and Xavier indulged them with a light head pat.

"You're such a good kid, Erin," he chirped, taking the risk of mussing the other's hair.

Erin squirmed away, scowling. "I'm _sixteen_ , damn you!" they snapped. "I'm not a kid anymore!"

"You'll always be that cute kid to me!"

"Shaddup!"

The door clicked and voices came through the wood. "We're back! Just in time for male bonding, too! Look Andy!"

Ivy pushed open the door, and paper bags rustled as people tried to bring them in. Erin stuck their tongue out at Ivy and Xavier only laughed, returning to his desk. Had to look domestic, didn't he?

Even after almost six years with the guy, Erin had no clue what was up with him. Even after everything that had gone on, the guy was just weird. There was no other way to describe it.

"... Ivinci. Noise." Andrea bustled past with a paper bag, hurrying to set it on the counter. Ivy only giggled.

Erin covered their concern with a heavy smirk. Ooh, Andy sounded tired. Leader intervention time. "Ivinci, stop bothering Andrea." _Asteria is lonely._ And only Andrea could get Asteria out of a three hour mood that made the alarm beep.

Even if the implication was enough, Ivy couldn't just nod meekly and step aside. No, she had to get in a huff and stomp over to where they stood. That was just her dumb game "E-rin," she cooed, and their raised their hands hands, ready to grab her tiny fists. "Don't tell me what to do, you tsundere prick!" She threw herself at them and they grinned, moving so they hit the couch instead of the floor.

"Oh, so you wanna go, huh sweetheart?" they crowed, easily rolling her off.

"Always," she chirped. "You aren't the pretty boy, after all!"

"Then who is?"

Through this, Andrea let out a soft sigh, giving Sayri a small nod. "Come now, my friend," she said, sounding mildly airy. "They're just playing. No one will bite you."

"Except you," Sayri muttered, creeping in with the other bag. He took a look at her arm, which was no longer bleeding, simply hanging gingerly about her shoulder socket. "Where do I put this?" he asked her.

For a moment, she didn't answer, eyes unfocused and heavy-lidded. Then she gestured to the other side of the counter, leaning on a small white fridge instead. He nodded and followed her instructions, watching her dazed expression slowly weave further out of focus. Abruptly, her legs slid down and Sayri reached to grab her.

However, that blue fellow was somehow quicker, standing between them and pulling her up by the waist. "Easy, girl," they muttered, turning a glare onto Sayri without so much as blinking. "Don't touch her, you smelly fool. She'll get your germs."

"I was going to help!" he snapped. What was _with_ these people?

"Sure you were," the other sneered. "If your idea of help involves getting one of my family injured again!" Andrea pulled herself up again, looking at Sayri rather oddly, as though she knew better than that.

"I was not!"

"Your scent begs to differ," they said with a scoff. "Now, stay over there."

Sayri coiled himself into a fighting position, clenching his fists. Dragon-slayer he was not, ass kicker he could certainly be. "You gonna make me?"

The teen -Erin? Had Ivy called him that?- snorted. "Andrea saved you and brought you here. That means you're under us right now, and _that_ means you aren' going to jump unless I tell ya to."

Sayri glared down, literally down, at the shrimp. Who the hell did they think he was? He didn't just bow his head to some stranger! He wasn't bowing to some killer dragon or to Ginga. What the hell implied that he was some meek kid to lick the shoes of any guy with a fancy label.

Erin smirked. "You've got that look in your eyes."

"What look?" He puffed up like an angry canary.

 _Parrot._ "The 'I'm-better-than-this-punk' look." Erin chuckled, turning himself to face Sayri fully, amber eyes laughing at his expense. "Newsflash: you ain't. You're just a freak with dark skin and angry eyes, and nothing else. Like us."

Alarm bells of red rage resounded in his head and Sayri didn't feel himself throw the first punch. What he did feel was a solid hit to his stomach. It was like someone had stabbed him with his sandbag. He doubled over and stumbled back. However, his back leg helped him stay up.

Erin paused, frowning minutely as he pulled back his fist again. His face bore no impact from Sayri's attack, but his stance had changed, one foot behind the other. "Guess I didn't hit you hard enough," he mused. "Most people would be on their ass by now."

Sayri smirked through a cough. "I'm not most people," he rasped.

"Really." Sayri ducked from a swing and mentally cursed as a leg tripped him up and sent him toppling to the tile, almost hitting his head but for a well timed palm. "Not as good as us, clearly." His eyes were still distasteful and that expression was what made him stand up against Erin again.

"So what... if I'm not?" he sneered. "Want to make something of it?"

He moved to punch again, but from the other side of the room, that unnamed man sighed playfully. "Erin, enough. Stop playing with him."

Erin scoffed and slid to a casual stance, hands in their pockets. They shot a final glare at Sayri as they left the room, Sayri glaring right back. Andrea watched them go, then looked between the man and Sayri and the door. Sayri, moving to a normal standing position to breathe again,thought her brows were knitted, but he couldn't be sure. "You go too, Andrea," the man continued, still examining a paper. "Asteria missed you and you are clearly too tired to help with dinner. Ivinci, make sure she gets there."

Ivy scowled at the use of her full name, but grinned and saluted seconds later. "Kay, Mr. Xavier!" She hopped off the couch,where she had perched. and directed Andrea away by the arm. "Come on, missy, let's play some board games! Or do shadow puppets!" Icy babbled merrily all the way out of the room until Sayri couldn't hear her anymore. When her voice was quieter, the young man chuckled. "Kids these days, hm?"

Sayri, anger not abated, turned to glare at the man. He was tall, dwarfing Sayri himself by at least half a foot. He wasn't very wide, nor all that intimidating, but Sayri found himself recoiling anyway. He sat at ease in the computer chair, extending a light-skinned hand to be shaken. Sayri flushed and did so, the motion a little awkward, anger now giving way to sheepish fear. "Is she that bad?" he murmured. "I didn't think-"

The man shrugged. "She didn't want to worry you. You are her new friend, after all. That's good. She has trouble making friends."

"I didn't do anything," he said automatically. _Just stood there looking dumb._

Xavier laughed, and the sound was lighter than the teen expected. It was more like Ivy's, not at the person's expense, but just there. "Oh, make no mistake, scent complaints not withstanding, those little Chimaera have taken a liking to you, if Ivy is anything to go by."

Sayri blinked. "That..." he began slowly. "That doesn't make any sense."

Another chuckle. "My friend, the world lost its senses a long time ago." He sighed and lit a cigarette, careless to Sayri's pointed look away from the trail of nicotine smoke. "To humans like you and I, however, you're quite right. To creatures like them, however..." Xavier gestured to the open doorway. "Those thoughts are petty and unneeded at best."

Sayri raised an eyebrow and shifted unconsciously from what his mother in a fit of rare anger had called a cancer stick. "So... are you like the _X-Men_ or something?"

" _Nein,_ " he said softly, looking more amused by the reference. "These children are no glorified heroes. They are survivors. The difference to them is as stark as fire to ice. To be a hero means to save a great deal and to survive means to lose it."

The man shook his head. "Let me put this better. My apologies, as I don't even fully grasp it. I am Xavier Shay... and you are being watched over by these dear children, per Andrea's beliefs... or perhaps her visions. These young people are an unhappy accident, you see, human not human. Human and digital monster. And Andrea must believe you are capable of helping us, _them_ , with their mission."

He extended his hand, smiling through the smoke. "Pleased to meet you."


	3. electric universe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoot, it's late. I am so sorry. This week was almost a no update for me. Between movies and wearing out my ankles and college next week, I've been kinda drained bad. Oh well, I can do this. Chapter is currently unbetaed.
> 
> For all the language stuff... such as the German or Japanese, that's my way of expressing culture. Also, nobody likes Sayri. I know. I accept this. Don't worry about it.
> 
> This chapter has the official introduction of the final OC! Well, main OC. Last I checked, there are no others. I will do review replies in the morning. I am absolutely drained.
> 
> EDITED 05-22-17

"Kayla, I'm home!"

"Welcome home!"

Even though the name was wrong, the _aisatsu_ greetings were warm in her. She had always liked the words. In the dimmest part of her memories, she thought of them with thoughts of butterflies and hugs. They were able to banish the dread coiling in her stomach, if for the moment.

She pulled herself to sit up from her spot on the coffee table and jump to the floor. She scrambled to grab grocery bags from the somewhat frail hands and smile a real smile. In part, she was successful, until the woman sighed.

"I keep telling you not to sleep on the coffee table," she heard the woman say. "You'll get a neck cramp." She knelt and brushed thin white hairs from the girl's face. She was slow to react, dimly thinking of a smaller, stronger hand brushing at her hair like that, once.

Who was it? Did they smile? What was their name?

Was this memory important?

_You wouldn't think about it if it wasn't._

Her mind began to whirl, and she froze. The dread rose again, mounting with that sense of urgency that accompanied her being sick. Before the woman could speak, she was running, running to the toilet, the sink, anywhere. Her face turned a mottled gray and she vomited, body protesting as her brain clicked (clicked?) to wakefulness, to processing pieces of scrambled...

" _...get in my way..."_

" _I would have lived a life with no meaning..."_

" _Always, always, waiting, waiting... searching and searching... and nothing..."_

" _Even if it's futile, I want to-"_

She was vaguely aware of a hand on her back, attempting at soothing the twitching _thing_ lashing at anything in the air. Her shoulders quivered as she dry-heaved.

_Where are you?_

What was her name? If she knew her real name, everything would become clear.

" _And I will find you-"_

The girl screamed.

* * *

"Ooh my, you _are_ enjoying yourself, aren't you?"

Piemon sipped his drink, smiling, as was his nature. He really was a poor spectator, always talking during the show. In a strange way, the other occupant of this place was not perturbed. He sat at the edge of the monochrome circus tent, chuckling in a mindless gurgle.

"Despair is a good drink. However, it requires great patience and technique. Do you not dress it with fear?"

The clown brushed at his mask with a fanged smile. "That is a trick we must both agree to share." He paused, turning from the monitor he had been looking at to pierce the other with one blue eye. "It is rare to see only a proxy of you. How do they fare?"

There was a slick, slurping noise as the other shrugged. "Nothing exquisite. Still fledglings to be tended to, still many prayers to chant. Work is endless."

"You are so dutiful that it hurts my sides," the clown commented. "Have any of them started to scream?"

"One. One doesn't even speak anymore, while the others weep or think. The silent one is likely the closest. I'll leave that one to stew." The speaker sighed. "Nothing is quite so potent as what the soul does to itself, in my humble opinion."

Piemon smiled. "Indeed, tis a very accurate opinion. Not that I have ha to concern myself with thinking of it, of course."

"Of course." Without a farewell, the other occupant vanished.

The clown chuckled. "Are the toys broken yet, I wonder? I have all the time in the world to check." He giggled. "The _cat's_ away," He dangled a whistle on one finger. "So the _mice_ can continue to play."

And though he was a mouse yet, there were rats awaiting. And just a bit of disease could topple all. Piemon looked forward to the lonely circus top.

* * *

"I... I'm sorry?"

Sayri stared at Xavier, waiting for him to smile, to indicate somehow that he was joking. Instead, the man's face grew somber again the more minutes ticked past. "I... They ain't-" He cleared his throat. "Sorry... they aren't human?" _That would explain the hair... and the blood..._

"Not as human as you or I, for a certainty," replied the man, blowing a puff of cigarette smoke again. "Human enough to not kill us on sight and to pretend to function as humans do, or at least as societies see it. Inhuman enough to cut out what are in essence their own kind and to be uncomfortable around someone like yourself. Does that make sense...?"

"Sayri, Chatan Sayri." He gave a quick bow, hands at his sides and vaguely remembering Japanese manners. "I... I'm sorry, but it really doesn't." How could it? They certainly looked almost entirely human to him.

Xavier shrugged. "That's perfectly fair. I cannot truly claim an expertise in the area myself, nor can they. As far as they are aware, they are a unique race, _different_ from you or I."

The word different made Sayri scowl. "Certainly seemed more like they believed they were deserving of special treatment to me." Then, realizing what he had said, he clapped his hands over his mouth. He couldn't even risk stuttering out an apology.

Xavier seemed not to notice, or for that matter, care about his behavior. His breaching of all things etiquette would have been slapped down by any non-foreigner, though. "I do not believe they have the notion of feeling entitled about their situation. Proud of it, but not entitled about it. That is a very human, irrational thought."

Sayri opened his mouth to disagree, but something in those quiet, dark eyes made him swallow those words and regurgitate others. "What about you, then? Why are you all here?"

Xavier smiled, putting the butt of his smoke in the nearly empty ashtray. "As I said, I am their caretaker. None of them are old enough nor knowledgeable enough to live on their own as of yet, so I take care of them. As for why they chose here in Odaiba of all places, well, that is a question they may have to answer for me. All they have spoken of is that this city is the source of the problems in the world at the moment."

"The world has a lot of problems," Sayri said doubtfully. "Japan can't have caused all of them."

Xavier gave a low, deep chuckle again. "Of course not, but our recent anomalies are according to them, centered around here."

"Anomalies," Sayri looked out the balcony window, at the faint stripes of land in the sky. "That place... it came from here?"

The man shook his head. "I highly doubt that; that place appears much too big for my eyes. My hypothesis is that here in this city was where everything was meant to begin and end... and for some unknown reason, this did not happen. Something has gone wrong in that world in the sky and those kids... they feel duty-bound to fix it. I do not know why they desire to take matters into their own hands, only that clearly the ones that could do so clearly could not."

"Why couldn't they?" He shouldn't believe this. It sounded like a video game. It sounded so reasonable, though... His head... it felt oddly fuzzy. He tried to clear it, but whenever he tried, images and sounds rose up again.

_Blood, lots of glistening red droplets turned a dragon to stillness and Andrea was smiling over it. Buildings smoked and crumbled and in the very back of his mind was the screaming of sirens._

_Someone was coughing._

"Easy, my lad. Breathe, breathe." Xavier grimaced at the lack of response. "Jade!" He knew the boy would be able to hear him. "The lad's having a panic attack! Get in here!" He went back to the careful task of coaxing Sayri to relax. In the back of his mind, Sayri felt each movement was rote and well-practiced. Like Andrea's.

She had enjoyed herself, enjoyed hurting _people_.

_"Curious... your scent is very strange. So very..." She licked her lips, curling them into a smile. "_ _Contradictory._ _Did you know?"_

No... shut up... I'm a normal human.

" _Of course you are."_

" _We're playing a game."_

" _He didn't have to be taught the rules."_

No, shut up. Shut... up!

Why me? Why did this happen?

Something cold suddenly dripped down his neck and he shuddered. Thin fingers delicately began to trace up and down his face, circling patterns on his cheeks and tapping below his jaw. Every spot felt cold and wet, like tears had fallen there.

The panic began to recede, as though frightened of that touch. Sayri opened his eyes, unaware he had closed them, and found himself looking at blue irises, a rather clear color. Almost unnatural. The boy smiled, and instantly removed his hands. Looking at this person's smile, they made Sayri think of a warm bath. He managed a smile of his own, though it felt rather inadequate, like a poorly written thank-you card.

"Are you with us, lad?" Xavier was whispering, as though frightened to speak any louder.

Sayri nodded. "Um.. my apologies for whatever I just-"

"You had a panic attack," Xavier dismissed. "Only natural. A lot to take in today. We'll send you on home." The other boy kept his eyes on Sayri as Xavier spoke, looking at him with unmistakable empathic pity. Sayri waited for the anger to rise in his stomach at the idea of being pitied, and was puzzled when it didn't arrive. "Jade, will you make sure he gets there safely?" The boy-Jade- nodded, short pink hair flicking all about his ears as he did so. He offered Sayri a hand and it was taken, easily propelling the taller teen back to his feet.

Behind him, Sayri heard a voice mutter. "Jes' gonna let him go home helpless then?" Erin was behind them now, glaring at Sayri and twisting a lock of blue hair around one finger. What was their problem? When Sayri was standing, Jade released him, smirking with fond exasperation.

Xavier sighed. "Don't worry, Erin, I was planning on mentioning it. We have to allow him time to think, you understand?" Erin flushed and turned away from them, leaving Jade to silently titter behind his other hand.

"No thanks," Sayri said abruptly, heading for the door. "Whatever it is, I'm good. I don't need a bodyguard either." His head was a lot clearer now, and he had no qualms with saying his next words. "You guys are all nutters anyway."

Before he could reach the door, Erin was somehow in front of him, again. How in the hell were they doing that? Deciding to continue on, Sayri changed his hand into a fist, which ended up grabbed harmlessly by the smaller teen's larger hand. "Sorry, you smelly punk," Erin said, looking more derisive than apologetic. "Andy decided to take you in, and whether any of us like it or not, we're doin' it."

"That's some forward thinking you've got there," Sayri challenged.

Erin shrugged. "Take it how you want, kiddy. I trust Andy's gut. Besides, your stench is so disgustingly strong that it gets _cybernetic_ creatures hunting you down. Who knows what kind o' chaos you could get up to?" They stepped to the side. "If you want to get though, knowin' that, then I can bet ya won' stay gone."

Sayri scowled. "Coulda just let me go in the first place." He slipped out the door, and Jade followed. He winced, feeling suddenly awkward. This guy had been nothing but nice. "Hey, um... you don't have to follow me if you don't want to." Jade smiled and pointed down the stairs and Sayri gave up. "Well... all right... your choice I guess..."

"Jade." The other turned to face Erin at the door, salmon pink hoodie flopping like an oversized bunny ear over his cut jeans. Erin's face was a surprising bright red as they struggled for speech. "Don't... don't play with him, all right?"

Jade looked puzzled a moment, then he smiled and strode back over to where Erin stood. Leaning down, he kissed the other, a mischievous smirk curving his lips. Not that Sayri saw this, he had instantly turned away with his face red. You didn't... you just didn't do that in public like that! Shut the door at least!

Xavier coughed discreetly and Sayri almost fell from Jade zipping past him. He gaped at the other's playful nonchalance and went after him, trying to keep from grimacing.

It wasn't that it _bothered_ him or something... but that was supposed to be behind closed doors! Private!

He caught up with Jade and gave him a reproachful look. "You know we're going to _my_ apartment, right?" Jade shrugged and Sayri looked away, still embarrassed. For a few moments, they walked side-by-side, Jade making a movement that seemed almost like skipping. This one was just as weird as the others by the looks of it.

"So..." he began awkwardly and he felt the brilliant gaze on him again, fully intent on hearing what he had to say. It was a nice feeling... but also really, really disconcerting. "How'd you... uh... calm me down like that?"

There was a popping noise in response and soon there were floating heart-shaped bubbles all around Sayri's head. He poked one experimentally and it popped, leaving his finger wet and an ease in his shoulders. "Can all of you guys do that?" Jade shook his head and let Sayri lead them down a street. It was getting later in the day and in the light of the flickering streetlights, he thought Jade looked a little melancholy. "Are you all right?"

Jade smiled and Sayri found his question unanswered as for the rest of the walk, they were both silent, each for their own reasons.

"... It's up here," Sayri finally said, earning a nod from his companion, who had gone back to his odd skipping walk again. "There's an elevator, but it's a bit slow."

Jade nodded, watching as he waved at a neighbor and entered the elevator car. Sayri glanced at Jade again, noting the peace that was almost an angel halo. _This is too surreal,_ he thought, and for a moment, his vision wavered. The contents of his stomach rose and then Jade's fingers were resting at his own hand, circling the palm with his thumb. Sayri almost jumped away but the other merely placed a folded piece of paper in the hand he had held onto seconds earlier.

"Wha-" Jade put a finger over Sayri's lips, winking conspiratorially. Sayri looked at him with dismay and took a few deep breaths, hoping to calm himself. He had to look normal, like everything was perfectly cool.

It wasn't every day you came home with a pink-haired boy and no textbook in hand. His brothers were going to have a fit. Having made it to his apartment door, he fumbled for the key. But the door opened and saw the dark face of his sister. "H-Hey, Dakota," he began sheepishly. "Um, I'm home, sorry I'm late... huh?" She was crying. "What... what's the matter?" Her big eyes usually told him everything, but now they were too big and old for him to understand.

She didn't speak, merely tackled his chest and wailed. Confused, he glanced at Jade, who was looking inside. "Wha-What's goin' on? I was just out playing games." _And getting attacked..._

"Haven't you seen the news, my cub?" His mother's voice came from where the small kitchen was, calm and distant from her focus on the scents around her. "Near where you go to play and to run... that area was said to have been bombed. You know how your sister gets."

"Was m'nsters," Dakota mumbled in defiance into his shirt. His mother gave a sigh. Feeling self-conscious, Sayri patted her dark curls and glanced at Jade again. He couldn't exactly say his sister was right, could he? Jade shook his head back at him and his mother turned. Instead of being angry at Sayri, however, her eyes brightened at Jade.

"Oh cub, this is one of Shay's boys. A good man, he is, taking care of others like that." She stepped away from her work and gestured for them all to enter the house. Jade bowed his head in acknowledgment of her words. "I met the man at work," she explained to the confusion of her son, who was still absently hugging Dakota with an arm. "You must have helped keep my silly cub out of danger," she said in that earnest but slighting way that always made Sayri ashamed of himself. Jade nodded, smile now looking shy as he shook her hand. "Would you like a snack?"

Jade shook his head and released her hand. With a bow, and a shaky sort of smile, he departed from the open door. Sayri blinked at his back.

"That was kind of rude of him," he remarked. "Could have said goodbye." Dakota sniffled, seeming to agree.

Winona sighed. "Oh my poor, unobservant cubs, he _was_ speaking. Just because all you do is wag your tongues with less decorum than a tourist does not mean all children can do the same."

Sayri's cheeks burned and he swallowed the now hard-to-control rage in his throat. "How-How do you know that?"

His mother smiled. "When he shook my hand, his fingers said to me all I needed to know. He speaks with his eyes and his hands, cub." She frowned. "He was trying to convey something to you as well. What with the way he left so quickly... it might have been something grave."

Sayri blinked, trying to think it over. Then he choked, and there were no calming bubbles this time to help him breathe.

" _Your scent attracts the monsters to you."_

* * *

It was late at night, and yet he could not sleep.

Sayri stared at his bedroom ceiling, clutching the paper Jade had given him in one hand. It had not said much, merely said what Xavier-san had not. Of course, it didn't make any sense, but Sayri was now relatively certain that there were no solid answer that he was able to understand.

Those guys were all in the same situation, and for some reason, he had the odd misfortune of smelling potently edible to those creatures. Digimon couldn't control the urge to hunt, like he could not control the urge to survive. It was almost something to pity... except for the fact that he was their prey... which pissed him off.

They were going to protect him... and for reasons they didn't really know, other than that the scariest one of them said to do it.

He knew he shouldn't believe any of this, yet there was no way to explain away a deep bite mark in Andrea's shoulder or the blood of her palm. He couldn't explain the bubbles or Erin's speed.

He was not a very rational person... and Sayri wasn't sure if that was working in his favor or not.

Now, knowing that, he was left alone. Left alone to do what, instead of it being easy and them keeping him at their apartment away from his family and the danger he posed for them. "What the hell do they want..."

"We want you to choose the way you live."

Sayri jumped, sitting up in bed and glaring around the was there. Not that he could see. His balcony door was open sure, but... that didn't mean anything.

"Shh." He froze at the sound. It was such a young voice, maybe it was a kid...or a girl? "I'm... here from Andy. She was thinking someone strong would come after you. I didn't want to scare you by coming into your house... I guess I scared you." The voice sounded pensive.

"Not really," he said automatically because that was what you said to girls when your manly pride took a hit... wasn't it? "Uh... you don't have to stay out there if you don't want to."

The girl came inside from his window at that, and he found himself looking at someone who, even with Jade who looked like a really girly boy, was downright odd. Everything about this girl, down to her clothes, seemed white as the moon, barring golden streaks in her hair. The sun would probably burn her on a cloudy day. She was not beautifully strong like Andrea, or simply pretty as Ivy had looked, but a strange fragility lay about her instead, particularly in her bare feet. "Teri," she said without preamble before curling herself up on his floor.

Sayri looked at her and her suddenly deeply asleep form. He didn't exactly feel safe with this.

Somehow, he went to sleep anyway.

* * *

"Wake up, please."

Teri was shaking him none-too-gently. For a moment, his brain was fuzzy from sleep, but then his ears caught the sounds of crashing and screams and the light ache in his shoulder. These, along with a very loud wail, made him sit up. "Whazzat?" he asked as very suddenly, the room wobbled. "Woah..."

"A Stegomon crashed into your building," Teri informed him, looking out his window. He stared at her.

"A what?"

Teri frowned, as if thinking she wasn't clear enough. "A Stegomon. Big, ancient dinosaur monster with blades instead of plates. They're kind of dangerous."

Sayri leaned over the girl's head to see. It was easy as she was surprisingly short. Or maybe he was just really tall, like he kept denying to himself. Leaning a little further, he saw the glint of dull metal against broken city streetlights and grimaced. "I think 'kind of' is an understatement," he admitted, looking around. "Um... could Andrea take on that? It sure is bigger than that Raptor thingy." He knew how big a Stegosaurus could get and... that thing was like the size of a four story chapel. "Cause... I don't think that's a herbivore..."

"Only with human meat," she replied, looking out the window still. Even as screams and smoke grew in the air like gray flowers, her expression didn't linger. "Humans all smell, you know." Her voice was calm, but Sayri could still feel this click of anger beneath her words. "They all stink with some sort of thing... and Digimon desire the power from it. They can't even think not to. To survive... you need power after all." Her small fists clenched and around them, the air began to crackle. "Some merely control humans and take the power directly." The noise grew louder and she grimaced. "Others merely eat them, and take... ahh... all of it at once." Blue lights danced about her skin and she winced in pain. "Stegomon... khh..." Teri hissed through her teeth. "Stegomon is one of the latter kind."

"Stop that!" Sayri reached to grab her hands. "You're hurting yourself for no reason!"

"Power comes at a price," she said with a stubborn tilt to her pointed chin. "Andy told me to keep you and your loved ones safe."

"Screw that!" Sayri snapped. "I can't accept that! Hurting other people like that... hurting yourself like that... that's not right at all! Even I..."

" _They should all just disappear."_

"Even I..."

" _Your scent is so... contradictory."_

Sayri felt like his mouth was full of cotton.. "This is my fault anyway," he finally said, not sure what he could say but feeling obligated to stop her. "I need to take responsibility... for whatever it is I did."

"Don't be so conceited," Teri said, and something in her voice irked him. "Who cares about blame? You go out there," she continued, eyes watching the dinosaur, whose large body was shuffling away from the building. "You're going to die and guess what? That thing outside will be even stronger!"

"It's better than you getting hurt!"

"Get down!" She knocked him to the floor, just as a loud, shattering roar broke the air of the city and something smashed painfully into the building. The room tilted and Sayri heard someone beating on his bedroom door. However, he couldn't pay attention to them, as Teri was looking down on him with fiery pale eyes. "This is not about blame," she repeated. "This is about strength. You aren't strong. You're _weak,_ just like me. Only I can do something about it. You can't do anything at all against that guy."

He thought he heard one of his brothers scream and struggled against the iron grip of her glowing hands. "Let me up! He's in pain. I know Teru's in pain! I know! Let me go!"

She did, but not due to his strength. She was covering her nose, grimacing. "You... you... awful person."

"Me?" he snapped, incredulous. She was the one calling him weak.

"We were human once," she said, eyes full of anger and hurt and something else. "You and your stupid smell... don't you know how rude you are?" She scoffed and the noise was not airy, her voice was hoarse with pain. "If it wasn't for Andy... I would... I would just kill you."

"Do it then!" he roared. "Go on, stop being all talk and do it!"

Teri raised a hand, and in it was a wooden cross. She seemed about to move, to take him up on that offer. However, with a supreme effort, she decided against it. "My hands are meant to protect," she said quietly.

These words, more than the gesture, were what calmed him, what set his mind at ease. _I can trust her._ She did not like him, and he was more than sure none of them really did, but she was willing to set that aside by her own choice, and with the desire to keep people safe and not simply the joy of striking another to the ground.

Had Andrea taught her to do that?

Sayri realized instantly that there was no time to think about it and wonder. "Thanks..." he said quietly. "Now... help them, my family. Please." Before she could think of saying no, he turned to the window and ran to the railing. "I know this is stupid... but I don't have a plan B. You might. This is all I've got."

He over his balcony railing and shouted. "Main course up here, you idiot!"

The stegosaurus looked up, as though noticing a fly and Sayri chuckled bitterly to himself. Then, barely thinking further, he jumped, and decided to accept it anyway, no matter what they said.

"Oh come now, are you truly satisfied with this?"

His fall seemed to have slowed. Sayri was frozen in the air, held up by some great invisible puppet toy. Green eyes looked harshly into his own narrow brown and seemed to radiate disapproval. "You, who have such a high and mighty goal, are you really happy with this meager display?"

"Of course I'm not!" He tried to shout this through his half-open mouth and came up short. "But it can't be helped. I don't have any-"

"Oh but that is simply not true." The voice was highly entertained... or perhaps observing some sort of decorum. "You have so much anger! Don't abandon it now! Show it to me! Let me see the rage burn in your eyes! Who cares what the world thinks?"

Time began again and Sayri fell towards a particularly pointed blade and screamed. The feral noise was half in fury and half in fear and all was loud and piercing. It ached in his head with the former panic.

He didn't want to die here, not really.

"Too right to think that," the voice agreed calmly. "You have better things to do." The wind hissed and sang and then Sayri realized he wasn't falling anymore, but flying... flying on the back of a serpentine dragon with red wings. "Such as make a deal with me."

* * *

From her small couch, 'Kayla' stirred from uneasy sleep. "Again..." she whispered. "Not again..."

Her head pounded with the image of a white cat and she slipped back into unconsciousness.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Small footnote for this so quick Japanese explanation.
> 
> Apartment- the word the Japanese use here is mansion, which to a lot of Westerners would be our apartments or condos and the like, not those shiny, big houses.
> 
> Also, aisatsu are Japanese greetings, like the ones when you meet someone for the first time or you enter and leave your house. If you do not perform these, you'll seem like a cold and dysfunctional member of society. Sayri's behavior is also unbecoming of an upstanding Japanese male, as you can tell by a lot of his rush to correct himself when around an adult.
> 
> Finally, Japan is relatively cool with homosexuality. However, in general, physical affection is meant to not be out in the open like that moment was. Yes, I'm serious. Holding hands, from what I recall, is a big step out there, and horribly blatant. Any Japanese people or more experienced people please correct me if this is wrong. Of course, this further illustrates how foreign (and teenager) Erin and Jade are.
> 
> There is no real word for teenager in Japanese either. Interesting thing I looked up.
> 
> I will edit if there is anything else. Please drop a review if you've made it this far!


	4. brave heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the missed update last week. College stuff happened. Next chapter is ready though, enjoy!
> 
> (EDITED 06-04-2017)

He was riding a dragon.

He was riding a _god damn_ dragon.

Wow, it was a lot cooler up here.

These were his first thoughts.

His second thoughts were that he hoped he didn't now decide to have a sudden fear of heights. Because that would be very, very bad. _Odaiba sure is small from up here..._

"Are you sure we have time to let your eyes wander like this? Your mind certainly does it enough already."

Sayri jolted back to reality, fear beginning to return with a vengeance. He was on the back of a monster. This was probably not a good thing.

Well, at least he wasn't being eaten. That was always a plus.

"Well?" The deep voice that had called out to him in its own way spoke up again, a minute snarl of impatience to his tone. "Shall we make a deal? Or can I drop you? There are still a few humans alive I could try this with as well, you know."

Sayri looked down towards the dragon's head and frowned. "A deal with the devil?" The mask covering the face somehow made him ill. It looked like someone's stolen upper skull. Then again, so did the fact that he wasn't dead.

The dragon snorted. "If you would like to perceive it as such. You give me power and I deny my every desire to melt you in my stomach acid. Who knows, I could even fulfill that desire in the abyss you call the human brain. Does that not sound appealing?" Sayri hesitated and gripped the hairs at the back of the dragon's neck as he rose. "If you doubt my power, let me prove it to you." He opened his jaws wide before Sayri could refuse and released a great burst of flame that licked cement and the scaly flesh of the stegosaurus below. The dinosaur let out a roar of agony and lifted its small head to glare blue eyes up at the two of them.

Sayri flinched. "Okay, dude, your power was cool, but we've made him mad!"

"Will you accept my offer, then?" He didn't even sound bothered, the bastard.

"Oh, because there are plenty of _other_ options open to me now," he muttered, giving a simple nod to the dragon. "What do you need from me?"

The dragon shrugged, a dismissive action that nearly sent his charge rolling off and to his demise. "Tell me where to shoot, hold the trinket, and let me take care of the rest."

Sayri nodded. He was not afraid now. Okay, that was a lie, he was scared relatively out his mind and his apartment was getting turned into a crumbled pile of legos (because of him?). However, his head was clear, and he had an objective. He had something he could aim at, and a way to fight it.

_Not kill it, though, right?_

From his perch above, he tried to see a spot to aim an attack at. That fire thing had been cool, and all, but it hadn't really done anything. _Not like Andrea had..._

Something white shot past his eyes and he saw Teri spinning in the air, swirling blue and white wrapping her hands like a cocoon as she jumped from falling building shard to falling shard. She saw him out of the corner of her eye and her face changed from what he saw as battle ready to... dismay? Anger? To misery of some sort? He couldn't tell and soon he couldn't ask because she was gone, pushing off a piece of a streetlight and somehow soaring over their heads.

She clapped her hands once and spread her arms, light dancing from her fingers to fall in a shower of lightning. The sky shined and Sayri stared. "Really are monstrous creatures, aren't they," the dragon offered, swiftly dodging a stray bolt.

Sayri scowled. "You're one to talk," he muttered.

"I would have thought you would appreciate my sense of humor," sighed the monster. "Pity. In any case, shall I?"

Sayri rapped his fist on the top of the helmet. "In case you've forgotten, you don't have handlebars! Let me off!" He looked for a part of the large building that had not fallen and pointed towards it. "Put me down there! I'll try to get more civilians out of there. And _don't_ hit Teri-chan."

The dragon frowned. "She'd survive."

Sayri glared. "Just don't, okay? You said you wanted me to tell you where to shoot, well, I'm telling you where _not_ to shoot, and that's at her! You got it?"

There was a single huff. "If that is what you desire." He flicked the human off to nearly bounce on the pavement… except it was a lot less graceful. He paused as the building wobbled, Stegomon having slammed himself into it again. Someone screamed. "Before I depart…" He shook his mane and something dropped out of it near the human's foot. "If you lose that, you will wish I could eat you." And he was gone, back into the sky.

Sayri picked himself off, looking up at the battlefield with dismay. He really was useless in this situation. _Mom… Dad… did you get the others out? Are_ you _out?_

Then he heard someone let out a cry from the broken open door behind him and moved to action, the odd item he had been given dropped into one pocket.

At least, he could try to do this.

* * *

Meanwhile, Teri touched down on the dragon's back as it soared up again. It frowned and the deep mercuriality that had filled its voice moments before was gone. "You know, I have no qualms about devouring _you_."

"I would give you indigestion," she said simply, raising her small fists once more as he dove and climbed back up in the sky. Her stance didn't waver once, something he could respect, grudgingly so.

"Your scent tells me that much." He heard the sickening _crunch_ of blade against concrete and scowled. "Defensive-oriented my tail," he muttered. "There are _Kuwagamon_ with less offensive habits than that."

Teri shrugged and knelt, preparing to spring forward. "Your reasons for being here are hardly savory in themselves are they?"

"And yours are of sunshine days and living babies?"

"Andy's reasons are her reasons. I don't ask." Teri looked around at her currently smoking, raw red hands. "An alliance of mistrust?"

"If you can hit it in the eye, I will consider it." He flapped his wings and rolled away from a suddenly spinning blade. More incoming, he attempted to move and a wing was clipped and began to bleed.

Teri shrugged, not reacting to his hiss of pain. "Don't ruin my aim and I will see what we can do." With one sparking hand, she wrapped her blistered fingers around a wooden cross. " _Anneau, Cloche Sainte*._ " The electricity around her fingers warped and danced, wrapping into sturdy silver gauntlets with a golden cross. The rest streaked up and around her body, wrapping pieces into armor. She raised her left hand, index and middle finger pointed out. Putting her right hand next to it, she drew her left back, and with it grew a golden arrow.

"Hold your fire a moment." He released a great burst of flame once more and then she released it, the light shooting through the smoke. "I asked you to hold."

Teri merely lowered her hands to wrap the energy around her skin. "Did you think I would listen to an Airdramon's request?" she asked with nonchalance over the sound of the roaring voice. Then she rose and spun. "Here comes the temper tantrum."

If by 'temper tantrum', Teri meant a _wave of blades being thrown at them,_ then she was quite correct. Airdramon flew to avoid them, but soon his tail was easily mangled, leaving blood trailing onto the ground. Teri flattened herself against his mask as some narrowly avoided the back of her head. She grimaced and pushed her body off by the hands, using her feet to push the blades into each other. They merely bounced off each other and she sighed.

"Don't tell me you're out of juice back there."

Asteria scoffed. "We are fighting an Armor from the air. Please do tell me you have a better idea than me continuing to poke it with a stick."

He growled simply. "Being useful would be appreciated."

"I'll work on it." She crouched to run then smiled, a little amused. "You and he are birds of a feather, hm?"

Airdramon merely ruffled his mane. "Jump," he ordered. "So you can stop sparking on me." She did, laughing as only a child could and the sound grated on his ears.

He so _hated_ to be mocked.

" _It will have the power you need. Seek it out. It could be fun."_

"Ridiculous," he muttered, coiling his tail and creating a bubble of air to throw. ""That thing will not give me my desire. Not even close!"

" _You just keep telling yourself that."_

With a snarl, he swung his wings down at the remaining blades, not seeing the odd girl's eyes thoughtfully resting upon his moves.

* * *

"Te-ri!"

She jolted as Ivy's body came in from nowhere (she did that a lot) and tackled her out of freefall. Shock waves of wind went sailing past her head at that instant, leaving her quite bemused.

"Geez," she heard Ivy mumble through her stringy hair as she pulled them both away. "He could have really hurt you, hitting you with something like that. Andy would have been so mad then, too. Oh!" She looked down at the smaller female and shook her head. "Sorry, I'm not Andy, but…"

"S'okay," Asteria muttered, shoulders sagging and gripping electricity-free hands tighter on the folds of Ivy's now-zipped jacket. "I'm still a weakling. Wouldn't wan' her to see me this way anyway…" _I can't stand at her side like this anyway…_

"I'm not gonna pretend I get it, but…" Ivy patted her head. "Strong or weak, she loves you. We all love you."

Asteria laughed. "You _always_ say that."

"Cause it's _true!_ " Ivy moved them to the least precarious structure she could find and landed them there. The Stegomon was now ignoring the building entirely, shooting blades and chasing after the flying serpent above. "This is such a pain in the ass," Ivy muttered. "Look at this guy! We might as well be using Jenga toys on cinderblocks!" She sighed. "Too bad Andrea's side is still scabbed over. She still has a bloody hour before that's over. And Erin's down there being _useful_ instead of killing things like he ought to be…"

"Where's Jade," Asteria asked, looking around the area at the slowly approaching ants that were ambulances and police and the squirming crowds of people and their smells.

Ivy paused, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she sighed a bit. "Keeping our new friend from being hit by the ceiling without him noticing. Why?"

Teri fidgeted. "I… want to try something."

Ivy smirked. "Could we possibly get killed?"

"Yes."

She punched the air. "I'm all over it. What do you need from me?"

Teri smiled at the enthusiasm. "Divinity, luck, and…"

"Providence," Ivy finished. She fished a coin from her pocket. Or at least, it appeared as a coin. Knots and swirls were engraved and molded the metal and Ivy wrapped a roughly gloved hand over the circular knots. " _Cura, cura, provisio,_ " she murmured and flipped it to swirl into the sky above. " _Sustinent domine me._ " When the coin fell, its form briefly flashed into a staff for her fingers to grasp. "Welcome home, my friend," she whispered. "But today is not your day." The staff shimmered away, becoming a stave. As soon as her hand wrapped around it, her palm began to bleed. Ivy merely smiled. "He's still angry with me. Ah, well, it can't be helped." She raised it to the sky. "A witch has no fear of anger." She raised her arms and the stave. "Sit procella resúrgat!" The air began to thicken, heavy and clouded. She laughed. "Teri, Teri, I'll let them know. For now let's have a girl's night out!"

Teri nodded and the gloves extended golden claws the shade of her hair streaks and the gleam of her eyes. "Let it rain," she whispered. "The holy rain, the rapture…" She jumped as the voices of people still in the building below her feet reached her ears. Terror, anger, horror at the visions before them, the scents exuded were acrid like fresh corpses covered in sweat. She twitched, almost as if to go to them.

"You can't." She gave Ivy a single glance, and the other girl shook her head. "There is too much to do. We can't."

Teri nodded. "Then they are on our heads."

Ivy shrugged, briefly crossing her arms over her chest in a parody of an "X". "Not losing sleep over it." Teri only rolled her eyes, agreeing, but not saying so, as she dove from her perch, light the color of snow falling from her body from top to skirt.

Ivy sighed, feeling the wind pick up beneath her fingers, feeling it wriggling at her call. "Andy must see something we can't again…"

"Must," agreed the newest voice in her brain, still anger and red tinted, but soft nonetheless.

She grinned and raised her arms once more. "Everybody to shelter," she roared, letting the sky sing her words. "The storm's a-comin'! It's a-huntin' your souls! Yaaah-hooo!" Her stave shrank to a baton and she twirled it, laughing and spinning through the air as the wind embraced her shifting form and fled from it. It went to Teri instead, holding her close as Ivy whooped and hollered again.

"I am the witch of the sky," she howled. "I curse this town in the name of my lord and savior! Amen, my children! Ahahaha!"

Ivy was not Andrea. She had none of Andrea's love of blood. She did have her love of battle. But they all had that. All of them loved the rush of a fight.

And this was a _fun_ way to fight.

"Come on lettuce-breath and airhead!" she yipped to the two dragons. "Let's see you dance now!"

* * *

"Come on, this way, the ambulances are over here. I know, they were slow, it's okay…"

Sayri tried not to look up at the sound of a roar. He focused instead on pulling the wooden plank of what used to be a door out of the way. The final person inside, an elderly woman, crawled gingerly through the space and looked back for a second. "Everyone… everyone is out, yes, young man?"

Sayri nodded at her without really looking. Everyone was out… everyone that could be anyway. He grimaced before smiling back down at her. "Everything's okay now, ma'am," he said, managing to almost convince himself he was all right. "Now, let's go get you out of here with your family, all right?"

"That's for the best," the old woman agreed in a voice that seemed like it was shriveling away. As she made her last, halting shift out from the building, there was a loud wail. A child was screaming, sobbing.

"Don't leave me here!" he screamed. "I'm just stuck! Don't leave me!"

Sayri glanced at the old woman. "Can I leave you to make it there on your own, ma'am?"

"You certainly cannot leave that child there," she replied with a tart smile. "I am not so old as to need you to carry me across the street."

He bowed quickly. "Thank you very much! I will be going now!" He turned toward the small opening left in the wood and frowned. "I think I am way too small for this…"

"Mister?"

He smiled, even though it couldn't be seen. "It's all right, kiddo; I'm finding a way over there." He looked at the plank and struggled to yank it off. Something wobbled and the child squeaked out a sob. "Hey, hey, don't panic yet." Sayri winced, wondering if he was telling that to the kid or himself. "Nothing's falling over."

"Ain't nothin' gonna fall either." Erin appeared out of what seemed to be bloody nowhere and crouched at the gap. "This too small for you?"

Sayri snorted. "I'm kind of tall, in case that escaped you. I can't carry a kid through that."

Erin shrugged. "I'm kinda short, in case dat escaped ya." They raised a fist and leaped. Pulling it back, they slammed the flesh straight into a part of the brick. It shook and Sayri went to -too late- grab Erin's somehow unharmed arm. Instead, only a little of the brick pieces fell, a small pile of rubble forming that made the gap a bit bigger. "That'll work, righ'?"

Sayri stared for only a second before still having to duck his head under. "... I'm not even going to ask how the hell you did that."

Erin shrugged their small shoulders and for the first time, Sayri was vividly aware the teen's head barely reached the middle of his chest. "I'm a lucky little leprechaun," they murmured with a smirk, shoving Sayri in the back. "Now move it so we can save the kid. Mighta just collapsed this part of the floor."

"Oh, you've _got_ to be kidding me." Looking at Erin's expression, Sayri decided not to find out and just led the way. "On my way over there, buddy," he said cheerily before dropping his eyes and focusing on the route he was taking. It was weird, hearing Erin shifting behind him like they were _meant_ to be dogging his footsteps like that. "Uh… not to sound like an ass…" Erin coughed, smirking in the gloom. Sayri resolved to rile him up as much as possible when this was over. "But… why are you here?"

"Helping you," was Erin's answer, as simple as the price of milk.

"You _despise_ me." At least from the first five minutes that was the case.

"Strong words," Erin said, abruptly shoving Sayri away from a pile of very sharp-looking glass. "Kid got thrown pretty far," tey muttered before continuing their words and marching Sayri like a dog on a leash. "Not gonna disagree with it, though. But Andy's curious about somethin'... and Jade likes you. He wanted me to protect ya. So…" There was an odd noise behind him, like Erin was shuffling their feet or something equally as disturbing like the guy being nervous. "I'm here, ya know."

Sayri was quiet for a few moments. Then, he swallowed. "He's… he's really important to you, isn't he?"

"Dey all are," Erin said without hesitation. They paused. "But… yeah. Him da most. If I lost him… or he lost me… I ain't sure what would go down… but seein' him all sad and stuff ain't righ' to me now."

HThey fell silent after that, and Sayri let him, feeling, not uncomfortable, persay, but… touched somehow, by Erin's simple admission. "...Thanks, boss."

"Whatever." Erin knelt in front of a pile of concrete. "Start diggin' the kid out. We don' get 'em to Jade, we doomed either way."

Sayri nodded and knelt, throwing rocks as quick as he could under the kid's sniffling. "You're doing fine buddy," he said without much thought to the comment. But the boy felt a bit quieter after hearing it, so he must have done at least _one_ thing right today. "Is this my fault?" he asked, having been bouncing the question in his mind since this all began. "Did I call that guy here?"

"Well, your smell is a giant 'eat me' sign, we've been tellin' ya that." Sayri glowered as he threw another piece, this one almost passing over Erin's blue head. "Well, it _is_ man, you asked. But…" Erin sighed. "Might mean sommat, might mean nuthin' at all in da grand scheme o' things. But… we can' take any chances, yeh see. I agree wit' Andy on that. If dere is sommat to you, like she's investigatin' righ' now, den we gotta have ya, so we can end dis rot, ya dig?"

"But does that mean-"

"Don' mean nuthin' about nuthin' righ' now," Erin replied shortly, revealing the kid's arms and chest with a rough wood tug. There was still a part of metal pinning the boy there by the side of his pants and into his probably numb by now leg."There we go, da's a good lad. Mess of an arm there," they said with such a pleasant little tilt to his voice that it was actually freaking scary. "Yer gonna be cool, hey?" They glanced at Sayri as if to confirm this.

Sayri nodded. "Yeah boss." Erin raised an eyebrow as Sayri moved to wrap his arms around the kid's chest. "Think you can get the big, shiny metal thing there?"

Erin snorted. "Short, not weak. Get ready to scramble." Grabbing the small pole, they lifted the metal high over their head. Sayri backpedaled, yanking the kid out and proceeding to run as fast as his long legs could carry him. The rubble shuddered and trembled beneath his feet and Erin whistled sharply. "Ivy and Teri must be a-startin' da party."

"Less appreciating, more running!" Sayri snapped, wondering, again, how the guy was so damn _fast._

Erin didn't obey. Instead, they grabbed Sayri by the arm, and threw all six feet of Sayri himself, plus whatever the kid was, onto their back.

"The hell are you doing?" Sayri couldn't help but cry, only to come face to face with the most manic of amber eyes he had ever seen.

"Livin'."

And with a whoop of pure, delight-filled glee, Erin was running.

No, running was an understatement. Erin's footsteps couldn't have been on the ground more than a heartbeat before he was in the next spot, and the next, and each step shuddered with the impact. The child squeaked in pain, but neither of them really made much of a complaint. It was hard to even think of any before they were outside, rolling into a piece of wall on the ground. Erin bounced easily to land on another part of wall, watching the building crumble further.

A bubble popped near his ear and Sayri blinked, uncurling himself from the sticky mess that was the child's arm. The boy had begun to cry. "It's okay, little buddy," he quickly said, trying not to glare at Erin's reckless stupidity. "You're out now and we'll be getting you to an ambulance, hey? Think you can hold out until then?" The little boy sniffled.

"It- It hurts…"

Sayri shifted awkwardly. He really felt for the little guy, but even with how skittish his brother Haru could be, he rarely cried about much of anything.

More bubbles popped and the little boy looked up. Sayri followed his eyes and relaxed. Never thought he would be so happy to see pink hair.

Sayri smiled at Jade. Erin's earlier words made him note the small creases in the other's young face and the merriment in that smile. "Ah, this is even better than the ambulance. This is Jade, kid. He knows how to help you out… right?" He gave the other boy a sheepish look. He actually had no god damn idea, but that seemed to be Erin's implication.

Thankfully, Jade nodded and stepped forward, easily pulling the child into his arms. From his fingertips, his back, from simply the air, the heart-shaped water spun and shifted into spheres, soaring across the open space and around them toward the clashing dragons. As Jade pulled the boy away, Sayri looked up at the clashing wind against steel. "Damn," he muttered without much thought as Jade gave him a silent giggle. Sayri looked at the other people near the wreckage, but all of them were transfixed in the battle in the now cloudy sky. So he turned to look at Jade.

A light, a fainter shade of pink than the boy's hair, had begun falling in beads down from his body, rushing over the ruined and bloody pulp of one arm. Flesh slowly began to knit together. The boy's other hand found Sayri's and squeezed it. Smiling a bit, Sayri squeezed back. "You'll be all right. These guys… they're a bit weird… look a bit funnier than I do… but you can trust them."

As he spoke those words, the trinket in his pocket seemed to grow heavier. _Now, can I trust_ him _?_

He wasn't sure he had the answer to that question.

* * *

Rain was falling. It was not a slow, gradual descent, but a great downpour like the ocean had sneezed.

Erin grinned weakly. "Tha's our girl, righ' Jade?" Jade nodded absently, the pink light around his body becoming a ribbon to wrap around the healing arm. Finished there, he patted the child's head.

The boy looked at his healing arm and stared. "Doesn't hurt now," he declared, half in awe.

"Cause my Jade is awesome," Erin said and Sayri glowered at him.

"Boss, don't confuse the poor guy."

"Yer the most confusing thing here." Jade giggled again and the child only blinked. They still didn't know the poor lad's name.

Wind smacked rainwater into his hair and the bubbles Jade's hands were still releasing seemed to blur white in his vision for a moment before they flew away. "Teri's got a plan," Erin said by way of explanation. Their eyes were closed like they were about to fall asleep. "Involves the bubbles and the storm and all manners of heck being raised. I didn't ask."

"Teri… did all of this?"

"Ivy made the storm."

Sayri swallowed. And she had seemed so normal compared to the others… if a little scatterbrained…

The boy squeezed his hand again. "I'm scared, Onii-chan…"

Sayri gulped a breath and tried to grin. "At this point, I don't really blame you, little dude," he muttered. "This is kinda… big and scary. But… I think it'll be okay. I don't think those scary things are looking to end up at this side anymore."

"Why?"

Sayri panicked mentally as the straightforward answer almost left his mouth. _Because I've made a deal._

"Cause we-" That was all he got out before Ivy had tackled him to the ground, all purple jacket and torn jeans and happy, brilliant green eyes. Weren't they blue before?

"Found you!" she chirped, looking pleased as punch that she had nearly given him a concussion in the process. "Erin, you could have told me where you were," she said, looking up from her happy "Did I do a good trick, master" look that was like a puppy. "It's hard to track you and direct Teri everywhere when she's like that and in the rain I can't smell a thing."

Erin shrugged. "Yer fault."

She flipped him the bird and pointed up at the sky for Sayri to see. "Your big scary dragon thingy wants you. Says you need the shiny thing. I'm supposed to bring you and the shiny thing. Okay?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Erin and Jade exchange glances of mutual… what? Shock? "M-My dragon?"

Ivy nodded, but even with that nod she had a look like the other two. "Yeah, your dragon wants the shiny thing. And you too, but mostly the shiny thing." The expression she wore would have to be categorized as mutual horror against a voice of innocent glee. No, not horror. It was frozen. _Like when mum talks about her brothers back home…._ Sayri thought. _Like when we've said a thing to her that we can't take back._

She tossed her hair from her face and wrapped her arms around Sayri's waist. "Come on, it's bad to be still that long in a fight. Didja know that?" She kicked off from the ground and soon Sayri had to process he was up in the air, carried by a girl…

And a part of him was absolutely loving it.

* * *

"That was so cool!"

The little child looked at Jade with happy, pure-hearted sweetness. "Can you fly, mister?" Jade shook his head and pointed at the bubbles. "Oh…" For a moment, the boy paused. "Hey mister… did the bubbles take your voice away?"

Erin's head snapped up at the query and went very still. They watched Jade's face, who looked as appalled as Jade ever could with lifted salmon pink eyebrows. They watched the other reach out with his hands, but Erin grabbed one and shook their head no. "Yeah, kid… they took his voice." There were just some things that had no words to explain. "Kinda like the building getting taken away… but this is forever."

The boy nodded. "Do you miss it?"

Erin shrugged, watching the antics above his head that he couldn't see clearly. "Not really… he still talks,y'see. Just talks… different. I just need ta listen better."

The child smiled. "Yeah," he agreed. "You do. Like I need to listen to mommy and daddy more. Then my arm wouldn't have gotten hurt."

The boy continued his happy chatter to the two of them, who in the case of Jade, was smiling and nodding at the right places, while Erin gruffly smiled their own interest in the mindless words, of the grandpa's apartment the boy would stay in and the new books he would read and could he still go to school where he was?

Erin simply put the image of the broken family photo and the people buried in the rubble out of his mind.

They couldn't save everyone.

But they could try and save someone.

* * *

"Could you slow down?"

"Not unless you want to get shredded, no." Sayri resisted the childish urge to mimic Airdramon's posh as hell accent and instead focused on hanging on for his life. "How in Server is that child doing that?" muttered the dragon. Sayri leaned over to look and was not even surprised at what he saw. Teri's small form was shining in each flash of lightning. He offered. "She's not human."

"My nose already picked that up, _thank you._ "

"Geez, chill pill." Yet after a moment, she was no longer in the air, headed toward the ground.

Airdramon said nothing in response to this, swerving to send a wave of wind toward the Stegomon. It was tiring, you know, after nonstop fighting. "Do you still have the trinket?"

"Why, need it for your jewelry box?" He knew it was a bad idea to rile up the murderous dragon, but at this point, the guy asked for it. He had already been snapped at seven times for tugging at his mane during dives. What was he supposed to hang onto, the guy's eyes?

Airdramon rolled his eyes, if that was what dragons could do. Beneath them, very suddenly, Stegomon had stopped moving. "It's preventing me from eating you," he said acridly. "Or worse, giving you to him."

"Duly noted." Thunder boomed over their heads and he still caught a snide comment from Airdramon. "This really isn't helping me like you!"

"Our relationship is mutually beneficial, not mutually affectionate." He dove. "Not that I enjoy up close and personal however, something is going on with our friend there." Sayri leaped down as Airdramon snaked to the ground. Stumbling only once, he completely fell over as he realized _why_ Stegomon had stopped moving.

All over his body were little gaps, like gunshot wounds, or bites from strong, yet small jaws. Blood oozed from each hole, vanishing into specks of light

A few bubbles popped.

The dinosaur _shrieked._ He howled a single word over and over until it clanged in Sayri's ears like a bell.

_Stop._

It wanted it to stop.

It wanted everything to stop.

And he wanted to feel pity for this creature, who, as everyone was saying, was just following his instincts. He wanted to stop fighting, feel sorry for this creature. He wanted to let it rest and heal and send it on its way after making it promise not to destroy his world anymore.

He wanted all of those things, but he couldn't feel them.

Instead… all he felt was anger.

"No," Sayri heard himself say in a voice that didn't feel like his own. He raised the trinket in his hands. " _You_ stop."

And, through the pouring of the rain, through the hard scales, Airdramon released a large tornado of flame, washing Sayri, and the area they were standing in, with ashes.

It was that smell that made the boy tremble, and his legs give out. _What have I done?_

_You made him disappear._

"Beautiful," Airdramon sighed.

Sayri didn't see anything beautiful there.

Murder was just messy, and disgusting, and wet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a fair few translations to be made here. I'm trying to avoid using them too much, but in due time, they will be important.
> 
> French:
> 
> "Anneau, Cloche Sainte."- Ring, Holy Bell
> 
> Latin:
> 
> "Cura, cura, provisio,"- Care, cure, provide (There are multiple translations for the word provide, or the word care, in Latin
> 
> "Sustinent domine me."- Sustain us, my Lord.
> 
> "Sit procella resúrgat," Let the storm rise.


	5. brave song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY for the wait. I would have put this up yesterday but the site was down and acting finicky as you all know. Sorry about that! Next chapter, we take to the CANON more heavily... sort of. Enjoy!
> 
> This chapter is currently unbetaed and Edhla is currently without a computer (her screen died) and out of the country. She'll be back in October but betaing is out of the question until new computer time. So yeah, I'll be going through and editing what I can catch, fixing what my reviewers see, and hopefully, getting more done.
> 
> The updates will have a little more sporadic updating time because I'm trying to figure some stuff out. I am sorry for that guys. College is a bit more important right now.
> 
> EDITED: 06/19/17

"Don't go out there."

They were watching the storm together.

They were watching the storm in the same room.

Kayla stood at the glass door, her reflected expression odd due to its peaceful slackness, counter to the weight of her hands on the glass. The opposition was holy and unwelcome. Among other things, it was filling the woman's heart with dread. The woman watched her from her seat on the couch, containing her apprehension with the tight grip of her hands on her tea mug. Her lined face betrayed little unless it twitched and even when she opened her mouth to speak, the child never looked towards her.

Absently, the woman tugged at her prematurely greying brown hair, trying to think of words her Kayla would respond to. Helpless, she looked at the photographs on her drawer set, at the glassy-eyed faces…

At the frozen smiles.

"Your Papa," she began, an idea rising to her head. "Would cry in heaven if you went into danger now. After all he had done to keep you safe…"

Kayla didn't answer, watching the rain fall without blinking. Her sharp nails sank into the glass of the sliding door, but went no further. Her bare feet must have been freezing, roughened though they might have been, and her every maternal instinct longed to wrap her small body into a thick blanket and pull her towards the space heater.

Try as she might, however, she could not move any closer to Kayla.

She would think to and then an ache, heavy as all of gravity, would settle on her legs. It would hold her there until she stopped thinking about it, leaving a helplessness to settle in her bones. So she continued to sit and watch, occasionally sipping tea and blurting out words that she hoped would change the aura of the room to something bearable.

"I don't want to lose you again."

No matter the heartfelt statement, nothing seemed to register.

The silence frightened her. It was the silence which woke her from sleep and guided her to the girl's sleeping bedside. It wasn't the sickness or the white and purple hair endsor the scars or even that _tail_.

It was the bone dry silence of her footsteps, of her voice.

They always made her doubt.

 _Don't be silly,_ she would say to herself. _Of course it's her! Her father was a good man. My husband kept her safe. She's_ different _now, but when you nearly die, of course you are!_

"It…" She gripped her tea mug tightly. "It was a hard time… back then and I just… you worried me-"

"Mama?"

Kayla's eyes were locked onto her, a full, rich indigo like the storm -and wasn't that _different,_ weren't they brown before?- head turned from the glass, and slowly, she moved away from the door. A smile had lifted her lips, but that was all. Her expression held that same blankness everywhere else, but it was peaceful. The woman thought of her grandfather, thought of the night when he had left her.

Come to think of it, that night had stormed as well. Kayla had been two, and fussy. She had left for a moment to put the girl down to rest again. When she had returned, he had left, as though walking out the house that was his body. He had carried the exact same smile Kayla wore now.

"Mama?" Kayla repeated, and the woman felt her ribs close around her lungs. Kayla's tail swished, glimmering with the ring at its end.

_Kayla did not have those…_

_But she's alive, so I don't care._

"It's okay," her little girl murmured, in a voice that was nothing like before. It was very calm, very much like she had accepted something that the woman could not see. "It's over now. I don't have to go anywhere."

She raised her little arms and the woman put down her tea. In the blind, sudden acceptance from Kayla, she felt her doubt fly away with the last of the rain.

Her daughter accepted her.

But was there ever any doubt that she wouldn't?

That it wasn't her?

Never. Never in the end.

* * *

For a few hours, Sayri's world was a blur of smoke and crying.

He knew that he was still conscious. Hands had led him from one place to another, people and sirens were wailing, and Dakota had clung to him and not let go, sniffling about dragons. He knew these things because he had seen them, but he would blink and see flames too, hear a dinosaur's scream in the back of his mind, and it would all waver.

_What a weak resolve you have for such a big dream._

Airdramon had said those words... and then he had disappeared somewhere. Sayri didn't care where right now.

Someone had asked him a question and he had nodded to it, not even knowing what the question was.

He had killed something using Airdramon. He had killed something that had begged for mercy. Or, he hoped it had been begging for mercy and not something else.

And beneath his own revulsion… there was a kernel of satisfaction, a grey nugget that was trying to sprout. He had killed… but he had done right.

How did they do it? How had Andrea been so calm after that fight? Ivy too... she must have known, they all had to... but to them, it had seemed normal, nothing exciting. That whole time the apartment had been shaking, Erin hadn't really been afraid. They had been _annoyed_ (when wasn't that weirdo really annoyed?) but never scared, never disturbed by all the death around him.

No, they had seemed resigned.

 _Jade warned me,_ he thought with a shiver. _They all tried to warn me… and now look._

His home was gone, some amount of people were dead, and… Teru.

Only this morning he had been flipping the guy over his head and watching him argue with his family about what channel to watch on the television. Now… now he was missing.

For all he knew, Teru could be dead.

Sayri quietly tightened his grip on whatever he was holding until there was a squeak. He had been squeezing Dakota's arm. He made a small noise of apology and moved his hand to her hair. She didn't say anything to this. Other than that squeak, he had not heard her make a sound. She wanted to cry though, she was in that stiff way of sitting where he could easily tell. His sister was a sensitive little thing. And a brother, a brother who caused so much stress and stole her toys, was nowhere to be found.

She did not cry.

Her expression remained stiff and brave, as brave as she ever was. She was looking at their mother, who stood feet away from the three of them, like a sentinel. The woman's back was rigid and her head directed towards the entrance of the gymnasium they stood outside of. No healthy ones could be in there until the hospital transfers and dead were dealt with. At his side, his other brother sniffled, shaking and rubbing his bare feet. They were red and pruned by the rain and his dark hair was plastered to his head.

Guilt made him flush red. Stupid. Stupid him. He was here, wrung-out, while their mother could only wait, and watch, and hope. Father wasn't here, so he should be doing something. But what? What had he ever been able to do?

Burden people. He was, as proven today, very good at that.

Damn it.

"I should get a blanket or two," he said, and the words were stumbling out of his mouth with the grace of rookie soldiers off the battlefield. "Haru's been shaking awful bad... and we're all in our pj's." Haru flashed him a grateful smile, lowering his hands from his arms. "There was a stack of 'em inside, right?" He moved to shift Dakota's hands from their place around his torso, but her grip tightened when their mother spoke.

"One missing boy is enough." Her voice was soft and unyielding, the firmness in it holding neither bite nor argument.

Sayri opened his mouth to argue with her. _You don't know I'll go missing!_

 _She doesn't know you_ won't _either._

He stopped himself and nodded. "Yes'm."

"Stay here and watch for your father. I'll get them. Speak up next time, Haru."

Haru squeaked out a meek assent and sneezed. He never would, Sayri knew that. He had none of Teru's reckless sass or Sayri's own defensiveness. That was fine. It was his job to protect Haru. If he couldn't fight monsters or be okay with killing things for himself, he could do it for Haru.

If Teru was gone, that meant double.

Sayri shuddered and Dakota looked at him, finally turning her big gaze from the departing form of their mother. Her drenched form looked five instead of nine and he knew she was thinking the same thing he was. "He's okay," Sayri murmured. "He's probably gettin' his head checked 'cause we all know _something_ is wrong with it, but he's okay." Haru sneezed a weak giggle and Dakota smiled a bit.

"What do you think…" Haru began softly after another sneeze and Sayri inclined his head for his brother to continue, so he wouldn't try to not. "What do you think we will have to do now? Our home… our school supplies… any living necessities… there's no way Mum and Dad will be able to pay for it…"

Sayri sighed. "My program still has until April too…" Honestly, that was the last thing he should be thinking about. School was kinda irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. However, it was that or think of everything else.

_Can you still be in home school if you're a murderer?_

That dinosaur was trying to kill everyone… eat them even. Didn't that make it justifiable?

No, no it didn't. It couldn't.

Mentally, Sayri groaned. He wasn't sure about things anymore. Not where he stood as a person, where his values were…

How could one ordinary day get this screwed up?

* * *

'Kayla' sat on the sofa with her body swaddled in a blanket. The woman, her caretaker, overjoyed, was now sleeping, the deepest sleep she had had in months. Her fears were put to rest now.

That was good. The girl knew that.

That was important too. She knew that as well.

Watching the storm, she knew a great many things now.

She knew she had been once not this. There had been more than just her before she was the being she was now. The idea was muddled, _she_ was muddled, and would always be so. But she remembered a state of being two before being one and she couldn't tell which was her and which was the other, or even if there was a line between them. There were things that were lost when she became this way. There were feelings she could no longer convey, and trying to do so was what made her suffer. Trying to force things in this state was what made her sick.

She could only be herself, and only do things that she understood as herself. But she still didn't know exactly who that was.

She knew she had died once, or maybe it was twice.

She knew she had lied then, and pretended to be all right, even though it was obvious that the two of them were not all right. There was something gained from doing that, she had believed, and something lost.

Neither of those things were her life.

" _Falling to the bottom suits the thing…"_

" _Even if my sword didn't pierce its heart, the two of them together…"_

" _The blood will call the dead ones to her."_

" _Then it's our victory, isn't it?"_

Out of habit, she tried to recall images of who had spoken. Then she stopped herself and shook her head. This wasn't what she needed right now. Not now, amidst hearing a screaming person and remembering a warmth welling up in her chest with liquid…

With blood.

Yes… she remembered now. She had died in pain.

Was that important?

_You don't want to remember the pain, and the answers are behind it._

If what her mind was saying was true, then she guessed it was very important. Was it her mind speaking, however, or was it something else? She wasn't going to lie to herself and pretend to have an answer to that question. She couldn't.

Lying to her caretaker was enough for one night.

'Kayla' smiled, a little shallow of an expression, and closed her eyes. Her ears twitched, pain raced down her spine, but she laid down anyway.

She had seen something else in the storm. Someone had been had staring at her. They were like her. Soon, she would have to meet them. When she had more of herself, she would meet them. She was not allowed to say so. The woman would have been scared.

Perhaps another night.

* * *

"Say-nii! Wake up!"

Dakota's whisper made his eyes open a slit. How the heck had he fallen asleep sitting up? His neck was going to be sore… "What is it?" he whispered back, sitting up a little straighter. They were in the gym now, having been ordered there by the paramedics to get away from any potential news crews and to avoid catching the flu along with anything else that had come up in this event. Haru snuffled in his sleep, curled on the wooden floor like it was a soft mattress.

His sister, who remained in his arms throughout like a small, purple-sweatered sloth, shivered. "Some men are talking to Mommy."

Sayri stilled. Dakota didn't use "Mommy" unless she was scared and that hadn't been since the age of five with the stuffed pig. He opened his eyes fully to see his mother still sitting feet away from her children, waiting for her husband to return. If there was any news on Teru, she hadn't told them. They didn't ask. Her face was still stone, showing her implacable place as the mother bear, the dangerous head of this family, sexism be damned.

However, seeing at least a small crowd of men speaking to her, _down_ to her, even in a fuzzy state like this, it made Sayri's neck hairs stand on end.

Bastards just couldn't let it go, could they?

Though the words were inaudible in the silence of the building, there was no doubt people were watching right now. Grieving wives, businessmen, fathers rocking their toddlers back to sleep, ordinary people caught in hard times.

In this case, Sayri knew them better as an audience.

Looking at the speaking man, it was almost comical, the way he was looking at her through those round glasses, like she was the disruption to their "peaceful" lives. Like she was the cause of everything that was happening. These people…

_Stop…_

They were the ones who should have been roasted.

_Shame on you, you always aim incorrectly._

"Say-nii, don't." Haru's eyes were slits, panic-filled slits, even through his drowsy state. "Mum can handle it. Don't…. please… don't."

 _You'll mess it all up._ He knew that was what his brother was thinking, and to be honest, Sayri couldn't blame him for his thoughts. At least not now. When it came to rights, or beliefs, or generally being looked down upon at all, he knew he was…actively vocal. But he had his reasons… and they were good ones, at least in his own opinion. He was the oldest son, and if his dad wasn't around, that meant the other kids were _his_ responsibility, just like Mum's health. And she had to be tired by now, having been standing there who knew how long.

"Come now, Chatan-san, it does seem a little strange," he heard one say to his mother and he wrinkled his nose. He hated the way native Japanese said his mother's name. It sounded cutesy and demeaning. "Your family is well-off, relatively speaking, yet you won't let us speak to your husband.'

His mother did not hunch her shoulders, as he knew many a woman might have done. No, they straightened further, and she gestured in the direction their home had once been. "He is still gone… looking for my son."

"What about _our_ sons?" a voice growled, and a third murmured their agreement, creating a whisper across the large room, which only increased to a buzz when his mother shrugged, hazel eyes clouded with apathy.

No, his mother did care, but not enough to abandon her place, not enough to abandon her duty and go out there.

"Are they not your responsibility?" she asked instead in return. "Are they not yours to keep safe first, instead of hounding an old woman like me?"

Haru coughed weakly and Sayri raised a hand to pat his back. His other hand tightened on Dakota's drying shirt. She kept silent, though he saw the look in her eyes. They were not going to like the rest of this, if Mother's fraying temper was anything to go by.

He did not want to deal with his little sister possibly biting one of them.

Haru shivered and shook as the first man spoke again. Sayri missed the words over the sound of his younger brother's hiccupping and slowly whining breaths of air. "Shh…" he murmured. "Come on buddy, deep breaths, if you don't relax you might hurt yourself… come on…" As he tried to coax Haru from a potential asthma attack, he thought of the little boy he had brought to Jade. He wondered if he was with his parents now… or with somebody. Maybe Jade and Erin were keeping an eye on him. Hah, that was funny.

Haru let out a soft wheeze and Sayri snapped to action. Haru wouldn't think of calming down until their mother was out of the fire… and his sister, left unchecked, would do something probably more dangerous than him expressing his opinion. "Dakota," he murmured. "Go get a nurse."

"Mommy," she said, looking at the fight as if it was the only thing that mattered. In the end, it probably was.

"I'll deal with that," Sayri assured, trying to smile and failing. "You need to help Haru and get a doctor. They won't have his prescription, but they have to have something. Now, come on, scat!" With a great reluctance, she obeyed, and hurried off into the crowd of bodies. Sayri squeezed his brother's wrist. "I'm gonna get Mum, okay?" She could handle him better, get the wheezing down so he wasn't flailing when they tried to help him.

That thought in mind, he marched over. "Hey Mum," he said, forcing his voice to remain quiet but level when he really just wanted to punch the whole lot of them. "Haru needs you."

"It seems like you were doing just fine," muttered a voice, which he ignored.

"These folks are scaring him an awful lot," Sayri continued, keeping his gaze focused on her, and her alone. "And he doesn't listen to me." _Come on Mom, please…_

Her hazel eyes flickered to his brown, and she gave a slow, patient nod, and a smile. "See my son here?" she said with a small chuckle. "My cub thinks he's a bear." With those words, she turned sharply and walked back to where Sayri had been sitting, wrapping herself in the blanket and beginning what was probably a soothing chant.

"That was rather rude of you, Sayri-kun," said the spokesperson when this was done.

Sayri shrugged. It was a belligerent gesture, done with the most absolute of assertion that he was right. There were so many things this crowd could be doing, so many people they could be helping. But… here they were, like they always were when things went wrong.

_Why do people hurt others?_

_Because of people like this,_ he decided, looking back at them now. He didn't have to look up at them, as his mother did, and that may have bothered them more. He wasn't sure. "I'd be happy to continue my mother's conversation," he began. "However…" Sayri grit his teeth. "I must ask for an apology from you first."

"Sayri-kun," began a new voice, and this was one he knew. He was the owner of the convenience store down the road. "We weren't trying to make a scene, you understand."

 _They were,_ he thought with a mental scowl. Adults always said that, like kids were stupid or something.

He wasn't fooled. This was always how it went. Anytime something went badly, or was different, everyone always said:

" _It's all because she's here, isn't it? Her and her_ brood _."_

" _What was_ that man _thinking? He probably had a nice high school sweetheart too…"_

" _Must be lying to him."_

So what if his mother wasn't Japanese? So what if his parents had a tutor at home for him? Why did that matter? Why did any of it matter?

 _Cause it just_ does.

He blinked at the odd sounding thought, one that didn't feel like his, as the men around him continued to speak. They thought he was listening. They thought he cared about their opinions. Hah. They were the same as Ginga. The world could go on without them.

"Sayri-kun." He looked at a woman, a woman who had just been crying. He didn't smile, but a part of him felt the guilt rise up as she continued. "Do you realize how this must look? Surely you are old enough to recognize this."

"Like we're rotten luck," he muttered bitterly, and saw the woman shake her head.

"Never, no!"

Even if she didn't believe that, the others did. He could see that, and something in him said so could she. "But… you must understand. For the most part you are here… and my husband is not… and my children were taken away from me… and yet you are well."

The truth of that statement hurt, and with that pain came the self-blame. "I… We didn't…" He was faltering, and faltering looked suspicious. It really wasn't them… it wasn't…

"They didn't do it."

Ivy, jacket unbuttoned and eyes once again their light blue, was sauntering over to them. Behind her, Dakota scurried over to Haru with the paramedic. Sayri gaped at her as she interrupted the conversation without the slightest hint of guilt. "Can't have been them," she added, looking utterly pleased with herself. "They'd all be here. As it is, two aren't and these guys would have a lot more than these drenched clothes, you know? You should be happy for them! Look, they are mostly well!" She clapped Sayri on the shoulder and said, in a very serious, earnest tone. "For the luck that so many are alive, you should be thanking God and helping the non-living pass over. There are people that need you right now."

Looking at Ivy, at her calm, sweet expression, something seemed to change in the crowd's demeanor. They whispered for a moment and Sayri felt his ears burn with shame. The way she said it, somehow… it even made him feel like a child.

"You all should take a breather," Ivy chirped. "Rest and pray. My family has always done that when they were high-strung."

There was a quiet murmur throughout the group, and then they left, leaving Sayri with his face flushed and Ivy smiling at him like a curious puppy. "I… I was handling it just fine," he murmured, embarrassed. Looking away, he saw Haru being carefully calmed by the medical official, which made his own chest ease. Just a little.

If Ivy noticed, she paid no heed. "They were going to punch you. Men always handle things wrong like that."

He gasped, trying to feel offended. "Are you insulting my intelligence?"

She grinned. "Not much to compliment about it, is there?" She looked away, towards the roof, where the striped sky and mountains and islands were clear in the night sky. "Do people do that sort of stuff to your mum and you _every day?_ "

Hearing nothing but curiosity, he shrugged. "Depends really," he admitted. "I don't go out much and find out."

Ivy frowned. "Such silly people," she said, matter-of-fact. "There are better things they could be doing."

 _Like what,_ he wanted to ask. Instead what came out of his mouth was, "How did you find me?"

"Your sister."

His shoulders drooped. He had hoped it had been his father. Then again, did she even know what he looked like?

Ivy glanced at him, clearly taking his gesture the wrong way. "I meant it," she said. "It's not your fault." She swept her left hand, which he now noticed was badly burned. "All this… us… it's not your responsibility. Yeah, your scent is strong… and Erin hates it… we all hate the smell, really… but we aren't chewing on your bone are we? Yeah, you made the snow, but Stegomon made the snowball, and we rolled it down the hill."

She poked him in the nose. "You aren't as big a deal as you think, Sayri."

The words, despite the randomness of them, were a comfort.

* * *

Winona watched her cub.

Sayri was still a cub, though he tried not to be.

She did not give him that nickname out of fondness, though it certainly came out in that manner. It was a reminder. He was reckless, stubborn, like a wolf left to hunt with no respect for its kills. He smelled very little and the eyes and ears he had were too busy being closed while he tripped over his too great paws.

Her son was not the bird he ought to be, and that angered a part of her, the part deeply rooted in the teachings passed from parent to child.

But he was her son. She loved him, and did so without shame.

She loved his honesty, and his pride. She loved his fervor to learn and his passionate joy about his family. She loved that this was her son.

Love wasn't enough to change him.

She stroked Haru's back as he breathed, stroked it and thought of the gentle words in that pink-haired boy's thumb as he had spoken to her. [You are a good woman, like my da was a good man.] There was a brief hesitation before the child added. [But you did not do right by him.]

The boy had not wished to say such a thing, but for her cub's sake, he had tried anyway. Such a gentle child. Gentle and sad, like that girl Sayri was speaking too so candidly now. Did he see this? Did he see the oldness in her stance, the way she tilted herself so he was just out of sight of a glare or could not move to intercept it?

No, he did not.

Dakota's head slumped over onto her lap, and Winona smiled. She did not know how right or wrong she had truly done by her children, but she had to keep trying to do right by them, and by her wayward cub.

Even if there was nothing she could do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, while there isn't anything I think needs translating, there are a few explanations.
> 
> First, we all know Sayri is being rude, just interjecting without so much as an 'excuse me' like that. However, despite the misogyny that is the world of Japan, ganging up on an elder like his mother (who isn't that old, but is in a relatively respectable age and position for a woman at that time, and also being a mother at all) is pretty much as rude and a sign of poor character on the adults' parts. if that wasn't clear.
> 
> Next, a little news. As I get further into this one, there are little stories that don't make it into the main one. Therefore, keep an eye out for Within, a collection of sidestories that take place before and during Ours. Most will be pretty silly, but some are serious too. Therefore, if you want a break from the collapsing insanity that is this fic, please hop over there!
> 
> Thanks and I will add more as I edit more! Have a good one everybody!


	6. Starting Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Look, it's here! I made it. *collapses* This took way too long to edit than it needed to considering how short it is. Next update will be two weeks from now. Cacophony's completion date has been extended to Sunday, which is good because I spent all day on this. Enjoy and reviews should be looked and responded to. PLEASE review you guys. I really, really love your reviews.
> 
> WARNING: Any people who don't know the canon, this is going to be rather awkward for you. There are a couple of character references to the canon here... quite a few actually. For people familiar with the canon, hello.
> 
> Enjoy! Still unbetaed!
> 
> EDITED: 10-14-17

Sayri took a slow, deep breath. Ivy wasn't paying his musings any attention, or at least it looked that way. Instead she was glancing over the humans around the room with very little in the way of actual focus. He wondered what she was actually thinking about. For someone who seemed to just blurt out whatever she felt like, the distant look on her face said otherwise. As did the quiet, now that his mother had succeeded in soothing his little brother.

"They just wanted to make me mad," he said, mostly to fill the silence. "To make Mom mad. They are like that, all jerks are like that."

"No, they're scared," Ivy corrected absently, It was like she was correcting him for the sake of being right. "They know it's not really your fault or hers, probably." He wanted to look at her eyes but she wasn't paying him any mind. "Everyone in this room is scared and sad, even your mother. But her face is strong, so they think she is brave. So they want her to be like them, all scared and hurt and emotional like they are. Nobody likes anyone who's different." Now she looked at him. "You don't."

"But it didn't-"

Ivy shrugged. "You humans always make up excuses to hurt people. We hurt people so they hurt and we don't. We kill things so they are killed and we aren't." She swung her legs back and forth. "It's not that complicated. You guys just like making it that way."

Sayri scratched his head. "I… don't really understand… I caused Airdramon to kill that thing. Somehow."

"Yeah, you did," Ivy agreed, spinning a coin through her fingers.

"And you guys have killed a lot of those guys, right?"

"Mmhm."

The complete lack of concern was what made his skin crawl. From what he could see of her eyes, he saw all the interest of someone in the middle of a history exam with a finished paper. This was a topic Ivy had long since stopped caring about. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"We don't have much of a choice in doing it. So not really." She looked at him. "We're like that Digimon, can't help it. So we're okay with it, but you don't have to be okay with it. Humans are supposed to get all shaken up for a while. Andy and Erin figured you'd be all like this so they made sure I was here."

Sayri chuckled weakly. "Didn't know the boss was that smart."

She grinned. "Smarter than you."

He punched her lightly in the arm. "I am smart, okay? This is just a bad day…" He sighed. "I shouldn't have killed it," he muttered, shaking his head, the words tumbling out like ice from the drink machine. "He destroyed my home and I, I was so  _angry_ , but he wanted me to stop, and I just, I couldn't…" He tried for the words and gave up, running his fingers through his still wet hair.

Ivy clapped his shoulder with a roughness that didn't match her tiny, storm-wielding figure. "Hypocrite," she said, not unkindly. "Even I can smell it now." The interest had returned to her voice, too quiet for her, much too soft.

"I…" He stuttered. "That, that is-"

"True?"

He shrugged, not sure what the right answer was.

"Sayri~," she hummed. "You're lying." He flushed, hurt and confusion filling his face with blood. "Is okay though. You don't gotta make the decision now, but you will. We all know that. We don't understand it, but we know it." She removed her hand and flipped the coin towards the ceiling. "When we became what we are, I don't think it went the right way. We lost the way to comprehend human stuff like hypocrisy and little indecisions and ignoring how you feel. Cause Digimon don't get it. But we gotta learn too, I guess. Cause we don't say things right anymore."

"But, but that makes no sense!" He blurted this out with what he realized later was a lack of decorum and common sense. "Teri said you were human once, all of you guys."

Ivy grinned. "She did? Blabbermouth."

"Oh,  _you're_ one to talk." He folded his arms, trying to glare.

"How  _dare_  you accuse me of that offensive behavior?" Her affronted face was ruined by the fact that he could see every one of her teeth.

Sayri laughed. "It's kind of easy. I barely hear you shut up for ten minutes." She giggled and he was happy to realize his grin wasn't turning back into a frown.

"Guess you've got a point there." She smiled lightly and paused, tilting her head awkwardly from side to side. He blinked at her and she shook her head. "I know they're here, I know it…"

"Ivy?" Was something wrong?

The girl turned and beamed, leaping through the air to bodily tackle the speaker. "Andy!" Andrea gave her a faint smile and a one-armed hug. "You're all healthy and not scaly anymore!"

Sayri stared. The once bleeding arm indeed was almost a pristine color of pale skin, unblemished and moving without a wince of pain. Her other hand was occupied by that of a small child, one Sayri smiled at.

"Hey, dude," he said to the little boy. "Did Jade fix up your arm?" The little boy nodded shyly, his free and unhurt hand wrapped around a large, round object. "What's that?"

The little boy hesitated until Andrea gave him a quiet smile. "It's the dinosaur," he said, looking pleased with himself. "Erin wants me to take care of it."

Sayri gaped openly until he had to cough from Ivy jabbing her elbow firmly into his midsection after her hug. "It's that… big thing there?" He pointed at the large object apparently held in a scarf.

The little boy whose name he had never learned gave him a look like he was silly. "It's an  _egg,_ Nii-san. And I have to keep it from becoming that big, scary dinosaur again. So no one else is sad because of him."

Sayri remained silent, horribly speechless as he raised his eyes to Andrea. The female smiled and shook her head. That was the most human thing he had seen her do all day. "Aren't you mad at the dinosaur?"

The little boy nodded, even as ivy's elbow hit Sayri in the side again. "Yeah… but he's an egg now. You made him an egg. So he's not the dinosaur anymore! I can help him not hurt people again!"

"I see…" Sayri swallowed, a sudden lump in his throat.

Andrea gave a soft cough and he looked at her, even as the little boy went over to be entranced by something Ivy was doing. "It is good to see you are whole, Sayri," she said, keeping her voice quiet. "I am very grateful."

He flinched. She had to know what he said about her, what he had felt before. She had to dislike him, especially now. If that was the case, then why was she so relieved? She raised a hand and a part of him cringed, even as she strode over to place a hand on his hair, remarkable considering their heights.

"Your smell continues to intrigue me," she mused.

"Do you just see me as a smell," he cracked in a feeble voice. She scared him, okay?

"I cannot see a smell, my friend," she replied without missing a beat. "I can see the effect knowing about it is having on you, however. Hypocrisy and justice, or perhaps transparency, they are tearing what you are and what you can be."

She stopped speaking with an abrupt pause and shook her head, stepping back from her close proximity to his face. "Ah… what am I saying?" A sheepish laugh left her lips. It was a rather pretty sound, deep and a little shy with embarrassment. "What I mean to say is that your scent worries me… because you are my friend."

Sayri felt his face turn red. He wanted to cry.

Instead, he straightened and bowed deeply, avoiding her eyes and the possibly kind expression she wore. "Please forgive me!"

He had been wrong.

He needed to own up to that.

* * *

He hated phone calls with his wife.

Rokudo Chatan  _really_ hated phone calls with his wife.

Winona was a good woman, the woman he loved.

But she was horrid on any kind of technological communication.

He glanced at his son's hospital bed. Teru's chest rose and fell, a bit too slowly for his own personal comfort, but it said he was alive and that was enough of an alibi to convince her with. "Sleeping," he said, which was true. "They stitched up most of his wounds." Also the truth. "He'll have a bit of a nasty scar on his forehead, but it might do him some good."

 _That_ part was where things got sketchy.

However, he heard his wife sigh in low-relief, exhaustion deeply rooted into the noise. He would have sighed too, if only because she actually believed him. "Good…" Beneath that sigh was an undercurrent of her thinking hard and he seized onto it, desperate to distract her from questioning any further, of listening to the sound of the heart monitor and how slow it was actually beeping.

"Winona." He tried to avoid asking her questions because when she was stressed she never handled them well. Questions became arguments, and it was hard to argue with a woman of stone.

And she wondered why Sayri was more stubborn than a bull.

"It was a strange day we've all had," she said at last, as the doctor reappeared in the room to check Teru's condition.

He wanted to laugh but restrained himself. "I wouldn't call a stegosaurus destroying our apartment merely strange."

"As strange as the islands in the sky," she countered quietly and he found his eyes drawn to look out to the window before he could stop himself. "As strange as a man with bats kidnapping our children."

He grit his teeth and buried the minute piece of outrage in a sigh. "I misspoke, and you're exhausted," he began. "And the children are likely being no help."

"A few hours ago, there were corpses being carried past me, Roku." Her voice rose and fell, almost impossibly quiet. "We're all lucky, very lucky."

"They hurt you."

A dismissive snort. "The young people and their pride can hurt nothing but a young person and their pride. We are lucky, regardless."

He couldn't disagree with those words. Even with Teru's sketchy condition and their lack of a home, they all were alive. Rokudo did not want to see many of his coworkers on the list tomorrow… or the neighbors he would have to corral into a story for the newscaster to read.

Then he frowned to himself. Something about work… someone there… didn't they have a connection to what was going on?

"Oh damn," he muttered to himself. "Winona, I have to let you go."

She made a puzzled noise but accepted these words. "Do as you will."

He intended to.

* * *

"Well, that idea didn't work, now did it?"

Piemon looked at the on-screen images of the human world with the smallest of chuckles. "Sending an Adult reeling through the streets of a human city didn't have such a satisfying ending after all. How unlike you Mugendramon!" He meant to sound scolding but ended up with amused instead.

The machine dragon merely grunted, gears whirring where the larynx would be. A new idea was already forming in his processing unit, emotions cast aside like litter in a park.

"Nyeh-heh!" giggled a voice at Piemon's left, coming from what looked, at first glance, like a little boy. A wooden little boy. "That was  _boring,_ " the child complained and when he moved his arm, there was the small squeak of wood on a screw. "You brought me from my game for  _this_? Those guys just killed him, so  _easy_. Nyeeeh." He made the whining laugh again.

"Those  _things_  that killed him are illogical," Mugendramon rumbled in his low. scraping tone. "Broken strands of binary."

Piemon put down his glass and raised a mocking eyebrow. "It's caught your interest?" he asked, mirth rippling through his voice. " _Yours?"_

"It has certainly caught mine," hissed a fourth speaker, who was curled at the edge of Piemon's circus tent. "The sea… my water shook from the force of that storm, of the powers within it. It knew that energy." The serpentine dragon shook its metal head. "The sea should not keep secrets from me, not such powerful secrets."

The puppet child snorted. "Can't be that strong if it took all of them to knock over a guy like that." He spun his hammer with both gloved hands, ready to use it. "Wouldn't last a minute against me!"

Piemon chuckled. "My dear Pinochimon, though you are imaginative with a game board, your knowledge of tactics is rather naive."

"Eh~" he heard the puppet whine, disdainful. "What's that about?"

Mugendramon grunted his reply. "The bugs fought in a way that would preserve the precarious stance of that building." Piemon rewound the recording with a small smile and let the wooden child observe with glowering eyes.

In slow motion, the storm raged. It looked wild, but beneath the rapid winds and rain, there was a steady undercurrent of bubbles that popped whenever a gust came too close and too strong.

Pinochimon frowned. "Hey-" he began. "That Airdramon's being awfully rude and helping them!"

"Perhaps that creature has someone to lose," the serpent mused with a small smirk. "Perhaps cooperation with those mysterious ones was its last resort. In any case…" He glanced at Piemon. "This is an odd development. Perhaps we were not careful enough… isn't one still running loose?"

Pinochimon giggled. "There's no way he can get out of there! The guy can't even walk! Besides, I have the best player ever to me! He's all alone!" He giggled again, pleased with himself.

"So you've told us many a time."

The puppet glared up at the sea monster, raising his hammer to strike. However, Piemon paid them no attention past that. There was no love lost between a Wind Guardian of the Sky and a Deep Saver of the Sea, particularly these two, but they weren't simply going to kill each other in the middle of the meeting. Or at least if they were, there would already be a need to replace his tent. Or Mugendramon would have simply shot them both, as was his wont.

"Pardon me, am I interrupting?"

Piemon chuckled at the low voice at his ear. He felt the sensation of a bell clanging with the wail of a ship's airhorn in that voice and sipped at his drink. "Not at all," he replied. "I didn't expect to hear from your master for another year or more.

"Yes," the creature agreed, slithering elongated limbs and a misshapen body to slump to the floor. "T'was meant to be a message of success that was presented to you, however, today my master would like to make an inquiry of you."

"He is a priest," Piemon objected. "And I am a pierrot. Should I not be getting answers from him?"

He expected a laugh at least, but humor was a rare infection for that world in the end. "How did you take over this world, Piemon-sama?"

Piemon shrugged and Pinochimon jumped in, angry at not being included. "What, were you under a rock? We made the Eight into  _zero_ , of course! Stupid!"

" _How?_ " it persisted.

The serpent narrowed its scarlet eyes at the creature, tempted to torch the possible bearer of bad news. "What are you implying?"

"I imply nothing, Great Dragon of the Net Ocean," it said in a patient monotone. "My master has a niggling suspicion in the back of his mind and I was sent to quell it. He suspects your methods were not quite as foolproof as they were thought to be."

MetalSeadramon snorted. "Five of the eight are in your pools, a sixth in your cave. The most versatile sleeps…" His teeth gnashed in pleasure. "Beneath my reefbeds, food for my troops. And the last will be shot by Pinochimon soon enough. And there is no backup in existence that can reach here alive."

"I won't shoot him!" Pinochimon shouted though he went ignored.

The creature in the center of the room shook his head. "Are you certain you snuffed out the Light?"

* * *

"Roku, what. the. hell?"

Ishida Hiroaki rarely slept eight hours a night, even on a good week. As of recent days, he was lucky he slept at all, having taken more assignments than was probably healthy. Self-destructive, yes, but when your son had been missing for weeks with no way to file a police report, there wasn't much else to focus on.

_Yes, hello, I would like to file a report. My son went missing on the third of August… last seen with his brother and a monster in a blue and white pelt… certainly, I can hold…_

The productivity of that phone call would be catastrophic.

All of this now noted, he did enjoy eight hours of uninterrupted dreaming as much as the next person. There was already a voicemail on his phone telling him he had a long day ahead tomorrow and to enjoy the quiet while he had the chance. Ruined apartment, dead citizens; it had been a messy evening. He didn't need his co-worker slash drinking buddy calling him during a hastily cooked bowl of yakisoba.

It didn't seem that Roku was calling for the pleasure of his company. "Does this have to do with your sons?"

"My sons? Roku, you sound like your neighbors." Hiroaki rumpled his already messy blonde hair. "Does  _what_ have to do with my sons? You know I haven't seen them in weeks!"

"Surely, you've heard  _something_  from them?" Roku was not a man of calm and focus ordinarily, but he sounded now like he was looking to patch a leak with used Band-Aids and a how-to manual.

Hiroaki took a deep breath and counted to ten, exhaling a sigh away from the speaker. "They went in a rainbow of light, Roku," he finally said, as gently as he could. "I never got a message from them the first time they went there, so there's no way they could now." He'd had a long time to accept this and calm himself down over it. Otherwise, he'd have pulled out his hair by now.

"Are you sure?"

Okay, he had to correct himself. His colleague sounded  _scared._ When he sounded like this, Hiroaki ordered a policeman escort and a warning next to a trip home. Stigma or not, he wouldn't trust  _himself_ in a panic, let alone the guy who had tried punching out some kids for giving one of his children an asthma attack. "What's this about Roku?"

Roku almost hissed through the phone. "This is about my apartment building getting wrecked by a giant dinosaur with giant metal spikes, Hiro! This is about my son Teru, lying here with his head cut open, with doctors talking about brain damage! This is about me lying to my wife so she doesn't march up here and leave our kids out there with our damn neighbors! This is about my son riding a dragon!"

"Roku-"

"Don't Roku me," the man snapped. "This isn't work right now. We all saw your kids and those others go up in the crazy sky and you can't possibly not know where they are right now! You let them go up there!"

"Oh yes, because we have cartographers all over the geography of upside down  _islands_."

Roku made a noise of wordless rage and quieted and Hiroaki sighed. "I'm sorry, Roku."

"Get me a beer and I'll say sorry right back at you." They both laughed, the sound ringing like a school bell. "This isn't one of those dreams like the horrors our parents told us about, is it?"

"If only."

"Sure is a lot less corny than it sounded back then." Roku paused. "Hey, who the hell are you? Sorry, room's already occupied."

"We don't exactly go into empty rooms on a daily basis," he heard in a mumble.

"Get away from my son's bed!"

Hiroaki heard the phone hit something, a cushion perhaps. "Roku, what the hell is going on over there?" He grabbed his jacket and pulled on his shoes, heading out the door with a cigarette in his mouth and more than a few curse words on his lips. The guy was probably so wound up that this would end up as a great misunderstanding.

"Sir," the soft voice continued. "I would advise you to take a deep breath.-"

"Get away from my son's bed! You aren't a doctor-"

There was a sudden, heavy thump and Roku went silent.

"Roku! Rokudo! What just happened? Hey, answer me!" He fumbled with his keys.

"Oh shut that thing off," sighed the quiet voice.

"What's the magic word," snickered a third voice, dangerously close to the speaker.

The line went dead.

Hiroaki slammed his foot on the gas pedal. As he turned onto the now frantic streets, he thought of his sons.

_Yamato… Takeru… please be in better shape than I am…_

So much for eight hours.

* * *

The forest was beautiful and green. The forest floor was dappled with red, lush with the fullness of blood.

He had learned every nook and cranny, every time the Kiwimon called for meals and the Delumon made his rounds. He knew every tree that moved and even the trees that weren't trees at all. He knew the forest very well, almost better than his old apartment.

Takaishi Takeru hated this place.

He sat in one cranny of a dead tree route. It wasn't Jyarimon. He knew that guy's croak of a laugh, the sound that he used to pretend he was nice. He was the biggest liar of the forest. Even the ruler, the marionette made of lies, wasn't a good liar.

He was just the strongest one here.

Thankfully, he was also not here.

So that meant all Takeru had to do was wait. The little blond was experienced in waiting. When you were the smallest of the group, it seemed all you did was wait, after all. You weren't strong or anything.

It wasn't much longer now, though. Today, he would escape.

No matter what.

He just had to believe.

And hope Patamon was still alive.

His throat constricted at the thought. No, there was no way he wasn't still here. He had to be. No one else should be dead… he would know. Pinochimon would tell him.

The puppet was too foolish and cruel to lie.

"Takeru!"

His spirits lifted.

He still had hope.


	7. crossing field

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Update is up, still things are going unbetaed. I will probably have more updates to the chapter later but I pretty much typed it straight from the draft so it was pretty short this time! Please read and review! My canon lovers, welcome home!
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> EDITED: 11-24-17

"Now Jade, was that  _really_  necessary?"

Jade glanced behind him and raised a delicate eyebrow in a way that was normally reserved for Erin's personal use. Then he turned back to the patient in the bed. Xavier let out a sigh, a deep, low sound like a train. It was a sound he could only make around Jade because the other usually took it seriously. Usually. There was only so much authority a former street brat could stand after all.

The reflexes of those old days were likely what caused Jade's attack on Sayri's father. Rokuto Chatan had lunged for Xavier, and the normally pacifistic practice was easily shrugged off, like a bathrobe. He supposed he should count himself lucky that it wasn't a fatal blow.

"I know," Xavier said to the gesture, less to the person. "That you all consider the opinions of humans flawed on many a person."

Jade shuffled his left foot, the movement speaking an old gesture of Xavier's own father that translated to the effect of [No shit, really?]

Of course, Jade was more polite about it, but just barely.

Xavier tended to enjoy Jade's company for these gestures alone... except when he proceeded to knock a grown man into a hard-backed chair with one tennis-shoed foot. That was problematic, but not habitual… at the moment. He had to work it out somehow in order to survive in modern society. That was his job.

"But I have a right to be concerned," he continued. "Someone could have heard that… or you could have killed him. I can't exactly wipe either of those possibilities away if you recall."

Jade made a strangled sound from the remnants of his vocal chords. A sound like a drowning was the only coherent sound he could make without assistance.

It was also his way of cursing someone out.

Xavier decided to sidestep over that issue because Jade bothering showed he was at least paying attention. So he scoffed right back. "You overestimate how strong we are."

Jade only popped a bubble in reply, making Xavier sigh again. Stubborn, devoted brat.

Honestly, just because he had ended up surviving their entire ordeal didn't mean he could do it a second time. Or that he would have to worry about it. He, unlike them, was an adult now in every sense of the word.

Satisfied, the other placed water-drenched fingers on Teru's head. The boy slept on, the heart monitors louder than his breathing. "Are you certain waking a dreamer from his sleep is wise?" Xavier asked after a moment. He did not have a medical degree. He had no idea if that was enough.

The right foot shuffled. [Yes.]

"Is it necessary?" He forgot; these children operated on perceived logic when it came to big decisions, logic and instinct.

Jade clicked his tongue once. Then again. Then a third time.

No translation necessary.

Xavier chuckled weakly. "You children will be the death of me."

Clever, paranoid Erin.

Jade only nodded. Whether it was because he agreed or to simply emphasize his point, the man couldn't tell. He wasn't sure he wanted to know either.

* * *

The creature lurched through the caves along the beach, dragging the excess of limbs after it as it went. It had much to do yet, still. So many worshippers to accommodate. These, the non-believers, came first, of course, the drench in the darkness of the storm. It stopped at one cell, placing a pail in the mouth of the cave.

"Hello there, have you been well in my master's care?"

Silence.

"Well, I suppose you wouldn't have much to say, considering where you've been." The voice seemed to sound sheepish, but it was failing mercilessly, smiling with a lipless mouth. "You ought to be congratulated, you know. You were the second one to stop screaming in all these years. I applaud you for accepting your destiny with dignity."

The occupant of the room twitched. "Destiny?" The croaked out word gave it such a thrill down its spine, such joy in its no longer beating heart.

"Why  _yes_." There was a slippery slap on the ground, the rough rocks so used to such abuse they didn't even shift. "When one falls to despair, they eventually wind up here. They follow their destiny… and get a new one." The speaker giggled. "Then, inevitably, they pray to my master. They have nothing left to lose, rather like you." The voice sighed, then gurgled again. "Or perhaps you do."

"I have… things to lose?" Hesitation to stop drowning, to try swimming.

"Certainly," it whistled like it was speaking through a straw. "Perhaps a comrade, or a family member." The whistle crooned. "Something you have to protect?"

The reply was not a parroted cry this time. The voice spoke using fear and rage from the bottom of the sea. "Where is he?"

It shrugged "My master has not informed me."

"Tell me!" The occupant lunged forward and slammed into a wall of air. The pail fell, spilling over their stomach and back.

The other sighed and chuckled. "You are still so easy to rile, aren't you Ishida-kun? Just the thought of that little boy makes you cry and break. If you don't even try, you will despair won't you? You'll fail, just like  _he_  did! Is that not so?"

"Shut up!" The prisoner screamed. "Shut up! You take me to him! Give him back!"

"Why would I do that when not having him is infinitely more valuable?"

There was a howl and beyond the depths of the cave, a wolf howled in unison with his anger. They slammed their fists against the barrier, screaming and screaming until all they could do was slump to the ground.

"Takeru," the prisoner whispered. "I have to… I have to protect Takeru…."

"Then  _pray_ , dear boy," the creature cajoled. "Pray to the little light of hope." Ishida Yamato screamed again, and the creature tutted. "So close to perfection," it murmured. "So close to losing it all. I wonder… because I didn't see it… do humans  _explode_  when they die too? Did you see it? Did the  _boy_  see it? I must ask him."

The creature vanished. "Think on that a while."

Yamato wept in silence, alone, afraid, and desperately wishing.

He did not pray, not yet. But he wanted to try.

_Don't die, Takeru..._

* * *

Takeru, from where he was, was not able to hear his big brother, but he certainly was doing his best to follow through on those words.

He did not risk running through the trees, running was too loud. He didn't hesitate but walked carefully.

"Hurry, Takeru!"

"Shh!"

On his blond head sat a strange mammal-like flying guinea pig. Orange and cream in color, it occasionally flapped its little wings to brush branches aside. Again, Takeru hushed him, his Patamon, again. It was noise made out of both fear, and if he had to admit it, a bit of irritation. Patamon always made a lot of noise when things went badly, always. It had caused a lot of fights during their time here, and a lot of them hadn't been needed.

Takeru touched his right, scarred cheek and Patamon winced, dropping low enough for Takeru to nearly lose his balance. Instantly, Takeru shook his head. Stop listening to this place, he reminded himself. It will make you think thoughts you don't always have.

"We can do this Patamon," he said aloud. "After all, we've got  _that_!" The secret weapon, their trump card that they hoped to not use.

Patamon nodded, grinning weakly. Then he let out a little squeak of alarm. "Takeru!"

The boy stopped and stood back, looking up at what at first glance was a tree. But he knew better now. No trees had canes in one hand. For that matter, trees didn't have hands most of the time.

"Practicing for a game with Pinochimon-sama?" The tree let out a creaking laugh. "You've gotten pretty far into the wilderness, haven't you? Close to another territory even!"

Takeru hesitated. "Are you gonna tell on me?" He clasped his hands together. "Please don't tell him I was out here, Jyureimon! I'm so, so  _sick_  of him always winning!" He fixed his face into a pout, the worst one he could muster.

After everything went wrong (the time he never tried to think about), Takeru had been brought here, to play with Pinochimon. It was humiliating, and he had been alone for the second time since this journey had started. At first, he thought he would have died. Over time, though, he had grown used to it. He hadn't had much of a choice. He was the weak one, the little one. Being little didn't make him dumb. He knew the ropes now, the games. He knew there was only one friend he had here.

He had survived many of Pinochimon's little games his very real playtime activities.

It was literally child's play to pretend now.

"You know how he is, Jyureimon," Takeru added, looking forlorn. "If I don't practice, it will get boring! You know what happens when he gets bored."

Jyureimon chuckled. The tree's beady golden eyes were narrowed in deep thought, telling Takeru all he needed to know. The tree knew the boy was lying to him, Patamon wasn't exactly supposed to be around like this after all. The fact that his partner hadn't been flicked off like a dust bunny was enough proof that he was weighing his options. Jyureimon was clever. He was a lot older than most of the creatures here, maybe older than the master himself. He was the only one who could twist the dark master of the forest.

Whatever option the monster chose, Takeru only hoped it didn't lead to violence.

Patamon grimaced at the large tree, looking nervously at Takeru. Since  _that day_ , his partner had become a lot more reckless and yet. more sly. These monsters were taking the scared little boy he knew his Takeru really was and hiding him behind.

If Patamon had to be honest with himself, it was like looking at a human PicoDevimon sometimes.

Not that Takeru was  _bad_  or anything, like he was going to not try to find his friends, wherever they were, and only look out for himself again like before. Takeru was always thinking and plotting now though, always twisting anything he could. He would  _lie_ , too, and like he was doing now, would do it well.

Patamon didn't like that, not at all.

He didn't want to lose his Takeru.

He wouldn't say this, nor would his partner really understand it, because Patamon was an obedient Digimon. However, he was starting to see humans as humans, more and more. They were always hiding behind themselves, rarely being what they were, even so, that they themselves didn't know who they were. It gave them such a weird smell whenever they did that. Before, Takeru hadn't really smelled like that much, maybe with PicoDevimon, or when thinking about his brother when the other made him mad. The others had smelled that way a lot more often, he remembered that.

These days, it was a lot more often, a lot  _riper._ He knew if he could smell that that Jyureimon certainly could, and he was a tree!

Jyureimon gave none of this away, of course, merely smirked. "His old branches rustled as he thought the question over. "Hyahahah… I suppose I can see the fortune in such a thing. " The words were followed with a lofty smile beneath mustaches of dead leaves. "All of us do enjoy a looser noose."

Patamon winced, but Takeru did not. That wasn't fair! "So… can you not tell him which way I'm going? I want to surprise him!"

Patamon feared he would be honest with Takeru because the consequences of that would be a bigger problem than him saying no. As in, he would have to kill the old tree, and that would ruin everything! However, Jyureimon made a creaking shrug. "I won't hold off a tantrum, dear lad, but I can misdirect it."

Takeru grinned, and his partner was for once pleased that it wasn't real. "I'm gonna win this time!" He hurried past the old wood, giggling like he was actually proud of himself.

"Takeru?" Patamon began timidly when they were out of sight.

"What?"

"He lied to you." Patamon knew he had to have been lying. They had never known the tree to tell the truth without something left out of it.

Takeru nodded, nearly knocking Patamon off of his perch. "I know," he said, and the mask of strength and clever big boy Takeru crumpled. "He'll call lots of Digimon to fight, and then…" His eyes watered and he rubbed them clear. "No, it's okay," he muttered. "We can handle it… I can handle it… just wait until Onii-chan sees us!"

The Digimon managed a timid smile. The smell was weaker now. His Takeru was becoming himself again. He looked at the trees. "If I could evolve… but my wings would get stuck for sure…"

"That's okay Patamon…" The boy smiled a bit more. "Just get off my head, so we can go a little faster, okay?" Reluctantly, the monster obeyed, though he really did prefer Takeru's head. The trees rumbled and the boy cringed, but he clenched his fists tighter around his backpack. "I can do this," he whispered.

" _We_  can do this," corrected his partner.

The boy did smile now, feeling a glimmer of hope in his chest. "Let's do it!"

They would escape this forest, get somewhere where someone was safe. They would look for the others then. They would free them. Takeru didn't know exactly how it would work out, but it was better than nothing.

It was better than dying.

* * *

For a moment, Sayri kept his head bowed, not simply out of politeness, but out of honest fear. Andrea was dangerous, and the interest she had in him was almost completely unhealthy. But she had saved his life and asked her family to risk their lives on a hunch about him. Whatever his feelings were about killing, he owed her for that. And he wasn't going to deny that anymore. Still didn't make him any less unnerved for his head at this point in time though.

He froze when her voice reached his ears, mildly curious. "Why do you bow to me, Sayri?"

Confused, he straightened so he could see her. "I… I have been rather rude to you… all of today… and you saved my life and those people's lives, and all I've been doing is-"

"Is something humans do all the time," Andrea cut in. her expression was neutral, barring the glimmer in her red eyes. "Those people who harassed you, yes I know of them, committed the same act." He tried to not cringe, but she saw it anyway. "You were- and are- frightened, my friend. You smell like fear and hypocrisy after all." She shrugged. "I can not fault you for your humanity, though Erin will try his hardest."

Sayri managed a smile. "Guess that the boss and I have that in common."

Ivy giggled. "He's just a prat. You're fun."

"Aye," Andrea agreed gently. She smiled and "You are forgiven Sayri Chatan. Always."

A flush rose on his cheeks. "Thanks…"

"The pleasure was all mine," she murmured. "Now… may I ask a favor of you?"

"Eh?"


	8. Daybreak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, reviews are loved and I really am interested in what you guys think! Thanks!

"Certainly."

"Really?"

Airdramon had settled in a nearby park, one that the Stegomon must have stomped over on his way to the apartments, due the various lampposts scattered everywhere and the permanent dents in the grass. Not that he seemed to care. He peered at Sayri with his large red eyes. Behind them was Ivy, both arms behind her back. Her expression was oddly sullen, a pout dragging her lips down. Andrea was hidden under the shadows of a tree, occupying the attention of the little boy. Why he was still with them was anybody's guess, but they both seemed to be focused on something else.

"Certainly," the dragon repeated, appearing amused. "It's a reasonable objective to think of and a pragmatic plan to ask for my assistance." He opened his mouth into a fanged smirk. "I assume it wasn't your idea."

Sayri scowled. "Don't need your commentary, skull-brow."

It almost seemed heroic to continually make comments at the big, scary dragon, show off his bravery and all that. But he knew better than that. He was too stupid to be a hero.

Airdramon seemed to agree with this sentiment. Sayri was half-sure that the dragon didn't even know his name. The dragon did not reply to him, and if he could help it, he would probably stay away from Sayri all together. If he didn't have the power he wanted...

 _"What would_ you  _do for power?"_

The words slammed into his brain like they were shouted through a speaker on the wrong frequency. He found himself turned to Ivy, who just seemed to know what people were thinking. It wouldn't surprise him if she could transfer thoughts herself. Yet she only continued to stare at him, blue eyes dull with distaste.

Airdramon turned his head to her, as though expecting intimidation. "Is something the matter, doll?"

Something in Sayri's mind cringed and he opened his mouth to stop whatever was coming next. However, Ivy fired back without a pause for breath. "Ouroboros," she spat, shoulders hunching in a hostile way that reminded him of Erin. "You  _smell_."

The venomous comment rather scared him, almost like it was filled with more than the anger of pixie-like Ivy, who never seemed capable of anything other than varying degrees of mischief. Sure, he didn't know Ivy too well after only one bad day, but his gut was telling him to run, and it was only that trinket in his pocket that was keeping him here.

Airdramon, on his part,seemed to not be disturbed. Sayri guessed it had to do with the fact that Ivy was little more than a toothpick in size to him. Though considering Andrea had easily ripped apart two dragons nearly his size with only an arm lost and quickly regained, that was probably stupid.  _Guess I'm not the only one with an ego problem._

That thought was rather comforting.

Airdramon flicked his tail in Sayri's direction. "So does he, if I recall my irritatingly succulent smells."

Sell-out.

Ivy grinned, a nasty expression with sharp teeth. "Aye," she agreed with a flip of her hair, returning her arms slowly to her sides. "But it's a fresher plot of daisies than whatever mud you rolled in, air-head!"

"I _vin_ ci," Andrea warned softly, pulling the boy with her to step between the pair. "This is unproductive." The girl scowled at her, but made a motion like she was zipping her mouth. The little boy giggled at her. "My apologies," Andrea continued, watching Airdramon. "Her penchant for honesty has given her too many words and not enough sensibilities."

Sayri twitched. "Did you just make a joke?"

A mirthless smile brushed her lips. "I am a little more than a mere warrior, my friend. Though, battle is more fun for me than banter." She fixed Airdramon with a patient look, one that came from experience with Ivy, or possibly Erin. "The idea for your assistance was mine. I am quite anxious about the well-being of that place." She looked up at the striped sky. "It must be in bad condition to look like that."

"Some may not see it as you do."

 _Like who?_ Sayri almost asked, but Andrea only shrugged. 'That is why I am asking you to look."

Airdramon's mane bristled. "Not that I do not see the benefits of such a request, but do you see me as your lackey already, little slayer?"

Airdramon's nicknames were weird, Sayri decided, even as Ivy giggled. She still didn't seem right. "Well, you are attached to Sayri, silly Ouroboros."

" _Yes,_ " the dragon agreed, dragging the word like a thorn. "But that does not make me yours, now , does it?" His mouth opened and he prepared to lunge, but Sayri stepped in with his arms spread.

"All right, you darn pirate flag, off!" Sayri snapped, glaring. "She ain't doin' anything!"

"Mockery is a sin," Airdramon countered, lashing his tail.

"Your  _breath_ is a sin." Sayri was going to ignore how much like him the dragon sounded, yes he was.

"Dragon." Andrea clicked her tongue. "If you could rein in your bruised ego for a moment." Airdramon frowned, and Sayri frowned with him. Was it his imagination… or was that something Xavier would say? Granted, he had only met the guy once, but… it certainly didn't seem… well, whatever. "You traversed the dimensional planes and survived. The fact that you could do so… concerns me. Please investigate anything suspicious on that, for our sake as well as your own." She bowed deeply, the gesture something Sayri knew was only an attempt at cultural etiquette.

Airdramon hesitated, clearly uncertain. Sayri was happy it wasn't just him who Andrea put at odds. "As I said… I do not mind doing so. However," With reluctance, he turned a red eye on Sayri. "I gave him the trinket which allows me to go through safely. And if he loses that, I have no qualms about drowning him in my stomach acid."

Sayri still didn't know  _why._ However, Andrea seemed to take it in stride. "Then take him along if that is the case. It will be a good experience." She smiled at Sayri now, as though she had not just offered him a possible death sentence. "What do you say, my friend? A little adventure to make your heart dance?"

Sayri wanted to say no. Okay, he honestly wanted to say  _hell,no,_  but there was a knowing look on both girls' faces that made him stop and pause. Okay, he had to admit, flying had been fun. And being on the back of a dragon in a fight had been scary and cool.

He really did want to do it again.

Except there was that whole 'possibly falling to his death issue' to work out.

"Cub, what do you plan to do?"

There was a low hiss from the tree Andrea had been by, and the little boy near her frowned. Sayri watched his mother enter his field of vision. The hissing came again and Andrea coughed. It stopped and Asteria's golden eyes peered at the pair of them. Winona acknowledged this with a nod. She looked a little less tired than she had before, which meant the other two were sleeping in some corner of that building and that things were okay. That was good, but that stone glare lingered in her eyes.

Well. He was screwed.

Sayri shifted on his heels at the sight of her. "I haven't de-" He stopped at the sight of Ivy tilting her head and took a deep breath. "Are you going to stop me, mum?"

"I may consider the idea," she said wryly, looking at her gangly boy. "You want to rush into danger, even though we all are safe now. You wish to drive me to an early grave, cub?"

Sayri cringed. She knew him too well, even for his mother. She knew her boy's obsession with the opinions of others. He shrank a little, upset that she had used it, and guilty that she felt that she  _had_  to.

"Teru is all right now," she continued in that soft voice that placated Dakota's toddler tantrums. "We need to focus on getting back on our feet."

"You won't have a chance for that, ma'am," Andrea murmured.

"It's going faster," Ivy agreed, the lilt in her voice sounding less mocking, and more serious. She didn't even sound like this when they had flown together in the air.

He almost flushed. Thinking back, that had been awkward.

His mother frowned at Andrea, even as Airdramon made a quiet noise. "Elaborate, if you please," she commanded, ignoring it. "Are you saying this is not over?"

"Aye ma'am," Andrea agreed. "It will never end until the skies are not merged as they are." She motioned to the broken patterns of stars. "And we  _must_  figure out how to change it back."

The dark woman looked at her, scrutinizing the purple girl with shameless distrust. Sayri wished Andrea would cringe, look away,  _something_  that would make his mother relax. She didn't waver, her expression unfettered as his mother asked. "Why?"

Andrea only shrugged again. "I am only here to stop it, not to question its making."

"Mum," Sayri began, trying to pull some of that hostility towards him. He went ignored. God she was stubborn.

"And my son?"

Andrea's lips curled into a smile of fangs. "An interesting puzzle to solve."

Shit.

…

Hiroaki pulled into the only hospital he knew that Rokudo would go to. The man was as paranoid as his grandfather sometimes, honestly. He hurried to the front desk after locking his car, making sure to throw his cigarette to the ground before entering. That would look bad on his reputation. "Hello, is there a Teru Chatan here?"

The secretary paused and nodded. "Yes, Room 114. What is your relation?"

"Friend of the family." Around him, beyond the smell of antiseptic, was the sound of footsteps and rolling carts. Doctors and nurses exchanged information in rushed whispers behind large, concrete doors, and Hiroaki grimaced.

"I see," the woman continued. "Name please?"

"Ishida Hiroaki." He really hated standard procedure sometimes.

"I see." The man typed quickly, looking through the information at an envious speed. "The patient, as of the last examination half-an-hour ago, stated that he remained unconscious."

"I'm here more for keeping the father sane, to be honest."

The secretary shrugged. "Better than nothing, sir. It's been a busy night, collapsed apartment complex foundation and all. The news is going to have a field day. Down the hall, two right turns, left side."

"Don't I know it. Thanks." Hiroaki turned away, idly pondering the calm that possessed that man to sit there as behind him, people fought for their lives. He supposed he could never be in the medical profession for a reason. Seeing his children born was enough.

Someone crashed into his arm, and spun to the side. "Woah!" Hiroaki reached to catch them, but a man caught the falling child by his arm and pulled him back to his feet.

"Honestly Jade," the man chided. "Don't get so lost in thought." He bowed his red head at Hiroaki. "My apologies, good sir. Dear boy gets distracted rather easily."

Jade stepped on the man's foot with no decorum whatsoever and Hiroaki smothered a chuckle, temporarily forgetting his worry about Roku and his infamous temper. The man's voice seemed familiar, but he shoved that idea aside. "Don't worry about it. Accidents happen."

"Indeed they do," the redhead said quietly."Now, I'm afraid we'll have to cut this acquaintance short. It's much too early to be awake. A good morning to you, Ishida Hiroaki."

They went the way Hiroaki had come from, leaving the man to stare. Jade only stopped to put a finger to his lips, winking at the man with a smile far too serene for a teenager.

Why did his head suddenly hurt?

…

Sayri saw his mother's expression shift. To be honest, it looked kind of demonic, not as demonic as dragon blood everywhere but pretty freaky. Her voice remained quite controlled, however, as she continued. "That is quite cruel of you to say to a mother, you must know."

"Lying to you would be a disservice to you, ma'am," Andrea stated with a dispassionate smile. "And to be cruel is a circumstance of mine I feel it would be a mistake to ignore. However, as I say this… I realize that there is more to him… and I would like to be able to see it. " She paused. "I apologize… I lack the articulation to put this kindly. Your son is a puzzle and a person. This world up there desires something from him… and I don't believe keeping him here will allow that something to be made clear. If he is to be tied to us any further, I would… rather…" She paused, and Sayri saw now, a twitching in her free hand. Though she smiled, the expression seemed less natural.

She was nervous. The almighty killing machine who probably could hand Erin's rear end to him twice with one hand, was actually nervous. He wanted to laugh, but that wouldn't be fair. but he did shoot her a smile, and his thumping heart slowed. She gave him a little wink, not conspiratory, but something almost human.

Well. They were a bit human, weren't they?

God. He was an asshole.

His mother's face didn't change immediately, but something in it softened. "Enough, child. That is enough." Andrea nodded, face turning a gentle pink with relief. His mother stepped back, scrutinizing Ivy and Andrea as though she had never seen them before. "You… you wear familiar faces, the pair of you. Slow-aged, but familiar."

Ivy's smile seemed to dip but Andrea spoke for him. "I'm afraid we do not recognize you by sight, ma'am. You and he wear a similar smell, but…"

"I'm certain the answers will become clear for the both of us." Winona turned back to her son. "So, Sayri… what do you want?"

"What… I want?" Haru wasn't here, so he really had no reason to  _not_  squeak like a scared mouse at that stare.

"Yes, cub." Did she sound amused? "You tend to do things that you want, but that I do not. So… do you want to follow their requests? Or do you not?"

"Mum," he snapped in exasperation. "You were so defensive a minute ago!" Airdramon snorted.

"Aye," she agreed. "But defensiveness is a trait I taught you too much of, cub. I mean to rectify that." Those words diminished her somehow, made her less than the proud way she stood in front of him. A parent could be wrong. Odd. Yet… she still seemed as strong as she had been before. "You will be fully grown soon, Sayri, before your father and I are ready. I suppose I need to get used to it now, don't I?" Her smile was a little worn and weak, but it was his mother's smile, and that was a nice safety net.

Sayri flushed anyway. "Mum, this is peer pressure!"

"Peer pressure can be a positive experience, if done properly," she objected. "So choose, cub."

Sayri hemmed a moment. "What are you looking for, Andrea?"

"Anything Airdramon cites as abnormal." Andrea's lips quirked in amusement as the boy pawed at the egg in his arms. "Can you do it?"

Ivy gave him a thumbs up and Sayri nodded. "I can try," he promised.

At these words, Asteria dropped from her tree perch. Her hands were no longer burnt and while he flinched nervously at her, she only nodded, looking rather serene now that she was certain there were no threats here. She strolled up to Airdramon and planted herself on his helmeted head.

The dragon scoffed, a heavy breath that almost knocked the little boy over. "I don't like you."

"Feeling is perfectly mutual, ouroboros."

Ivy giggled.

Sayri swallowed and scrambled up the dragon's serpentine back, trying to avoid his mother's eyes. Settling himself so he could sit and not fall, he took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready. Now what?"

Airdramon snorted. "I do the rest, you great fool." He began to flap his wings, kicking up gusts of wind and grass. Asteria made her way to sit near Sayri as they began to rise.

"Be careful," she said, voice almost lost in the wind. "Nothing is as it seems."

"Is it ever?"

…

The forest smelled like gunpowder.

Takeru ducked his head to hide from the smell and tightened his grip on his partner's large white arm. Patamon had chosen to evolve when the first bullets flew, which forced them above the tops of the trees. But there had been enough shots fired by now. There was no way to avoid the smell of their captor's anger.

"How dare you!" wailed the voice of his captor. "We're supposed to be friends! How could you leave me? Weren't we having fun together?"

"You were trying to kill me!" Takeru shouted despite the fact that it was unlikely the other would hear.

"Of course I did!" Pinochimon giggled. "Good games need risks!"

"Crazy bastard," Angemon muttered. Takeru was sure he hadn't taught Patamon to say that. "I need a place to hide you," he murmured in the human's ear. "I lack the battle experience to multitask with someone like him." He also lacked the  _strength_ , but they both knew that. Takeru knew it so well his throat seized.

"Don't die,Angemon," the boy said, suddenly reminded of something, a something hidden in the grave voice of the Digimon. "Don't die on me. I should have said it earlier, but… don't die. Please don't." He was not going to cry, he was a strong boy, he would not cry no matter what."I forgot and I'm sorry but don't go away."

"I won't let you die, Takeru." It wasn't the right promise but that didn't matter. Angemon would die for Takeru without any hesitation whatsoever.

He already had, once.

Takeru sniffled,defying the fear and sadness that were threatening to swallow him at the same time. "Then you can't either. No matter what!"

Angemon managed a smile and spun his staff in his free hand. He managed to deflect one bullet, though it nearly melted his staff in the process. "Come on Takeru. We're going to need better than this. He keeps toying with us like this…"

Takeru smiled and Angemon did not fear that smile, as his other form would have. He was at a different place than Patamon, and though when he returned to that, he would not understand nearly as well as he did, he knew Takeru's changes were not all bad. Takeru would always be Takeru, strange scent or no strange scent.

The boy coughed and the angel only glanced down through his helmet. He could see a small light leaving his partner's body, and the boy was clutching at it. His face was rapidly and Angemon was starting to frown. Was this supposed to happen? "You need your hands free!" Takeru shouted. "Drop me!"

"Takeru-" But the boy squirmed free and dropped anyway, falling towards the trees. Angemon let out an unearthly scream of fear and he dove, dodging a nearby flurry of bullets. Takeru was smiling. He could feel it; he  _knew_ what was coming next and it delighted him, even with the impeding sharp branches and dangerous fall. His partner's body was glowing now, surrounded by the golden light that was now rushing color back into his skin.

"Oh no you don't!" Pinochimon's shout was followed by a crack as more bullets flew through the air. Takeru panicked. What if they hit Angemon while he evolved? He couldn't do anything while he was falling!

"Woah, ho-lee crap kiddo." Long arms pulled him out of the air by his wrists and he found himself staring up at big brown eyes and a slightly manic grin. "Whoever told you skydiving without a parachute was cool, they were lying big-time."

Sayri looked away and up at the glowing light, which Asteria was apparently blocking from harm.. He looked back at the bewildered kid. "You all right?"

"He was falling towards his untimely demise," offered the rumbling voice of the dragon.

Sayri scowled. "Wasn't asking you, pirate flag. Have some damn manners."

"Coming from you, that doesn't mean very much."

He scowled again. "Just keep Teri from getting killed over there. I don't know about you, but pissing off the others because she doesn't come back is not something I want to do." He sighed at the kid. "Sorry, he's a jerk. Not that I'm a paragon of saintly virtues and all that either, but I'll try at keeping my mouth shut some more. So why were you falling from the sky anyway?"

The boy didn't answer, turning to shout at the light. "Angemon! Hurry up and evolve already!"

Sayri blinked. "Uh…"

Airdramon chuckled. "I didn't mention that to you, did I?"

"Hell no you didn't! Give me a proper FAQ the next time we go freaking dimension-hopping!" The light did fade, turning into an armored angel who carefully cradled Asteria and allowed her to land on his back. He took one look at the dragon and the humans on it, before nodding and shifting to a floating position with a purple sword extended from its right gauntlet. "Damn, that's cool."

The little boy sighed in relief and rubbed his scarred cheek. "We did it…" he whispered. "WE DID IT!" The glow on his chest faded but the smile on his face more than made up for it. The boy would dance if he could, but his shoulders sagged with exhaustion instead.

Airdramon dove away from stray bullets and flying branches. Sayri rushed to hold tight to the red mane before asking. "Did what?"  _Now_. the boy seemed to see him, and Sayri grinned. "Sorry to burst in on your thoughts but mind filling me in?"

The blond frowned. "Are you… a Chosen Child?"

Sayri shrugged. "I have no clue what that is, little dude, but… Andrea might. I'm only here because she asked me to be. If we get to her, she'll probably know."

"Your faith in her is misplaced," Airdramon sniffed.

"Yeah, because trusting you kept my house intact."

"It certainly kept you and your  _limbs_  intact."

The boy wasn't really listening at the moment, still watching the battle like there was something he knew and understood about it that wasn't right. He pointed to Teri, whose hands were sparking blue. "... Why is that girl fighting over there?"

Sayri shrugged. "Because she can?" According to Andrea and Ivy, that was the base answer.

"Because if I get hit, we all die," Airdramon corrected. "I am impressed that she's been able to block this many shots. We should have been hit by now."

Sayri groaned. "Okay, seriously, how much haven't you told me?"

"A lot, considering I didn't think we would get to this point so soon." Airdramon dove to a part of the forest that wasn't burning. "That is a Dark Master closing in up there. Very dangerous."

"What, is it like a tabletop game master?"

"He's a ruler of this world," the little boy said. He held a familiar trinket tight in one fist. "The Dark Masters… they killed my friend and took everyone away from me." He shuddered. "And I couldn't do  _anything_." 


	9. Chapter 9

"Takeru?"

The word popped into her mind, and Kayla grimaced. It wasn't a painful word to think about, which was a welcome change to thinking about her ears. It was very hard to keep there, though not for lack of repetition under her breath into the blanket. The name, for she thought about it and realized it was one, brought a fuzzy image of yellow hair and white light and with that image was the pain. For once, she didn't cringe from it, finding it almost a comfort. She was doing something different from what she wanted to do, and somehow that was important.

Kayla raised her head towards the window and stared towards the sky. Before the fight, which she had only seen glimpses of light and a roaring storm, she would have been scared. However, that battle sparked in her a great rush of something, a feeling that was uplifting and like her stomach dropping down to her toes at the same time. It was the something that told her to lie to the kind woman who didn't know her name and to watch the dragon fly.

Now, she had to wait for it to return.

Minutes passed and the sky didn't change, leaving her to sigh. She flopped back down on the couch, ears twitching up at the sound of her own sigh.

"Disappointed, are ya princess?"

The muffled voice made her jump, rolling from her couch to a crouch on the floor. Outside, a young man sat on the balcony, blue hair drooping with rain and grinning at her like she was the greatest thing alive. "Ello," he chirped. "Name's Erin."He paused and shivered. "Mite cold for summer. Mind lettin' me come and dry?" He didn't sound fussed over it, she could hear that through the glass. At least he was asking instead of breaking in, but...

"You're a stranger," she pointed out without a thought.

His grin only widened. "I most cer-tain-ly ain't!" He tapped his fingers against the glass. "I know what you are... and you know what I am too, doncha?" His red eyes glittered. "You know I wouldn't be here if neither of us knew a thing!"

Kayla hesitated a moment longer, but the familiar emotion trilled in her body once more, and she slid the door open as quietly as possible. The boy-Erin-slipped in, smiling in a way she thought was rather odd. "Much better, thank ya." He examined her from where he stood, a distance profound and perfect. His red eyes should have been scary. He should have been scary. He was so much bigger and stronger and had a body coiled for fighting things. But she wasn't scared.

Instead she found herself wrapping her dry blanket around his legs and he chuckled. His hand almost reached out to her head before he stopped, looking sheepish. "S'rry, 'm too used to people who want m' to touch them. Do yah mind?" She shook her head no, and his fingers carefully touched at her ears. She winced, surprised to find it didn't hurt.

He blinked at her. "Am I dat scary-lookin', princess?"

He called her Princess. That made him even  _less_ scary. "No... I just... they usually hurt when I touch them."

Erin flushed. "I see..." His voice trailed off at the last syllable, and Kayla wondered why. He shifted a little and adjusted himself to kneel closer to her face, continuing to carefully touch down her skin, avoiding her tail with almost disturbing delicacy. Boys didn't really do that... did she know many boys?

_Takeru?_

"What are you looking for?"

He shrugged. "More of  _you_ , really. One of my friends is like you, a little less of  _this,"_ He pointed at the flush of her skin, at her small hands, "and more of  _that."_  And pointed toward her ears and tail. "Less human, ya know? More of a-"

"Digimon, she said softly, tasting the word like cleaning a gum of blood. "Yes? Like me?"

"Like  _us,"_ he corrected mildly. "You're special, but ya ain't  _dat_ special." She giggled at how he tried to look angry at her, but it wasn't working. At all. "You've got us and we wanna help you... and we wanna fix that sky." He didn't have to point for her to look, but she did cringe.

"I'm safe here," she said softly, trying to ignore the voices that said otherwise. "Mama will keep me safe."

"She's not your mama, princess," he said, and his eyes flickered with guilt as he said them.

Her shoulders sagged. "I know," Kayla said. "But she needs me to be her daughter right now."

Erin mussed her hair, shaking his head. "Cain't make dat call, princess. Not yours to make. And ya cain't do it. I see it in yer eyes. Yer lookin' fer somethin', and that thing got nothin' to do with her."

Kayla felt her tail lash, partially out of fear, partially out of anger. Was she that see-through?

He continued speaking in that quiet voice, that voice that just seemed to know. "You ain't awake yet, are ya? Ya wouldn't be if you were. You'd be runnin' around in a mass panic 'cause you'd remember the thing you need to."

"And what do you think that thing is?" Her voice didn't sound right, all quiet and on-edge and maybe now she was a little scared. He was too close to home, too close to knowing everything but the actual answer.

Erin shrugged. "Yer name, righ'? Yer probably thinkin; 'Everythin' will become clear if I just remember my real name'."

Kayla jumped and stepped away. Now her skin was crawling because he was staring at her with a small smug smirk. "Wha-how...?"

He laughed, a small,slightly loud noise in the room. "We've all had something like it."

"...What was yours?"

The boy flushed. "Yer gonna laugh."

"No I won't." He wasn't even worried if she would  _believe_ him.

He grumbled quietly for a moment and his red cheeks darkened further. Erin sat down on the couch with his hands clasped together in a way that didn't fit with his frame. Looking down at his fingers, he answered, "...The person I love."

His voice cracked a little as he spoke, a little higher than it had been, too earnest and like shards of falling glass. She glanced at his eyes, and they simply looked back, no judgment, just waiting with a frown that reminded her of her 'real' mother screaming in a crowd while the two of them go in the opposite direction-

What two?

Her stomach gurgles to send its contents up her esophagus.

"Hey, hey, sweetie, don't do that." He reached over and gently pulled her to rest his head on the crown of her head. "Don't force it like that, it'll just hurt." Her ears drooped and he sighed. "You musta had it rough... if ya think ya gotta do that." Erin shook his head. "Poor girl... whoever you are, it was messy. Can't say I blame ya for wantin' to sleep forever."

Somehow, hearing her fears confirmed makes her nearly slump to the floor. "You don't know either..."

"Nope, didn't need to." He smiled. "Yer one o' us, and dat's enough. If you want to know, we'll help ya look. If ya don't, ya don'." Erin smiled a little wider, tapping his free hand against a pant leg. "Only one thing we'd ask of you."

"And just  _what_ would that be, sir?"

Kayla didn't move an inch and Erin only yawned, though his red eyes darkened in the lighting as he cracked his neck. He stared down the woman, her body little more than wisps, wisps with a cast-iron skillet. She, to his delight, didn't flinch, though her young-old face had a tightness around the mouth that he found a little funny.

His old common sense reminded him not to say so, just as he opened his mouth. "Well, lady," he began, slowing his worlds and attempting to avoid the slurring that was so common to his mouth nowadays "I'd guess we'd just be asking her to  _live,_ if that's all right. Live fer herself, you know? More than you've done." He mussed her hair, and Kayla allowed it, which made the woman wince.

"Get your hands off my  _daughter_!" The woman shrieked and Kayla visibly flinched. Erin simply lifted himself to a proper sitting position and stroked her white hair.

"This ain't your daughter, ma'am," he said softly. "Your daughter's dead. She'd be right shamed right now if she saw you. And you know that."

Kayla looked at him. "I shouldn't trust you."

He shrugged. "You already do. Shame on you."

…

"Mom? Where'd you go?"

Dakota was waiting for her when she returned, eyes wide and clear. Her voice only carried enough to make her mother look up. None of the sleeping tenants stirred. It was a relief. They had had a long night.

Winona sighed internally. As if one misbehaving child wasn't enough, her least level-headed had to be observant now. "I went for a walk to try and make out the stars." It was a half-truth, at best. She had spent some of her time staring at the night sky where her son had gone, listening to the murmuring of the two girls. The latter had kept shooting looks at her and frowning.

_I am the one who should be frowning._

She knew that girl with the purple hair, or she knew the look in her eyes. Devoted, exuberant on the inside, little sense of what waited beyond and not caring what it was regardless, yes that was a look she knew personally, from her days before becoming an adult.

A time before Roku, before children were a serious fixture in her mind and what she thought of most was  _rebellion_ and rights and living like she was going to die at twenty-two. She thought of the girl who had once run at her side and cheered her on.

Well, she was a long way from twenty-two now and the face was blurry. She could be lying to herself.

But was she really?

"Where's Sayri?"

Once again, a little truth was better than nothing. "On an adventure, dear. He'll be back."

"Why did he go now?"

 _I'm still asking myself that very same question._ "He felt it was right."

"Did you think so, Mom?"

She hugged her daughter's head and laid her to rest against her shoulder. "No, but I intend to believe in him anyway." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "Now go back to sleep before I fret you to sleep."

Dakota giggled and closed her eyes, while Winona listened for the ring of her phone.

…

Sayri let out a yelp and ducked his head. "Is this weird enough that we can go?" he shouted over the roar of flames.

Airdramon didn't answer, and neither did the boy. The latter was too busy staring at the battle raging above their heads where the crazy puppet was swinging its large hammer towards Teri's head. "Lady, watch out!" he screamed.

Teri spun herself out of the way to perch on the arm of the muscular angel. "I'm all right," she said, voice hoarse. It carried through the roar of the noise. She raised her hands and electricity flew, zapping at the air.

The puppet giggled. " _Stupid!_ " He dodged with a movement to another tree. "You're using lightning on wood!  _Stu_ -pid!"

Asteria sighed. "I hope I wasn't this obnoxious as a child."

"Well," Airdramon mused with a smile. "You are fighting with electricity."

"Because giving away  _all_  of my advantages this soon is a better idea," Teri mocked. "Do  _think_ , Ouroboros." Airdramon bristled as she glanced at her fellow fighter., ignoring him "Think you can throw me, angel?"

"Certainly," he replied, preparing himself to do just that. "Are you going to kill him?"

"Tempting," Teri replied, crouching on the man's fist. "But we have too many liabilities." She glanced at Airdramon's swirling body. "The effects of me killing him would affect them. Too much of a risk at the moment."

"Are you too weak to kill him?"

Asteria laughed. "I am only too weak to protect them." Her gloves began to shine. "I am  _never_ too weak to kill anything or anyone." The angel only nodded, perturbed by the statement just long enough to adjust his aim, and throw her. She soared and smashed her knuckles into Pinocchimon's metal face and laughed, laughing as she fell from the air to a smoking tree.

The sound made Airdramon hiss and swivel in the air, fury burning under his scales. Sayri yanked at the boy's shirt by one hand and at Airdramon's hair with the other. "Dude," he snapped. "Chill your tail!" Airdramon almost didn't hear and nearly threw the two of them off. Sayri snarled in irritation. "Dude, we die, you're definitely screwed! Remember that?"

"Not if I eat them," he sneered, flapping his wings and forming gusts of wind. His red eyes were sharpening with his rage, this odd fury that Sayri really didn't like.

"You will still die," the blond boy said softly before Sayri could get a word in edgewise/ Sayri watched the young blue eyes turn almost thoughtful. "You'll still be killed by Pinnochimon. He doesn't care what side you're on. You interrupted his game and that means you have to be punished. Then we'll be dead no matter what."

Airdramon glared a single red eye towards them both/ "You think I am not aware of such a possibility?"

The boy shrugged. "Yes."

Airdramon swam through the air, shifting a little less but shivering with rage even more. Maybe serpentine dragon anger was unusual, but Sayri didn't feel... comfortable. Perhaps it was because this seemed so erratic. Airdramon pretended towards calm and high and mighty thoughts, but was always poised to strike, poised to shout and give into anger.

Just like Sayri.

He thought of Erin then, the Erin who had smacked his own shit into his face and yet had still come to help him. Of Teri, who probably despised him so much right now because of Andrea but was still able to attempt to protect him.

Was this... the answer?

"Mockery is evil," Airdramon hissed and Sayri feared that the guy was going to throw them off. For a moment, he  _agreed_  with the guy, thinking of Ginga, thinking of his brothers and sister.

It only seemed fair, only  _right_  to make them stop and pay. Because they were mocking what they didn't understand.

Then his brain halted and he swore he heard Ivy giggling in his brain. "That's hypocritical of you," the voice declared, and it definitely sounded like her. "You give in to your scent way too easily. That's kind of weak of you. Don't you want to get stronger?"

I...

_How far will you go for power?_

That voice again...

_How far will you go?_

How far do I have to?

_As far as it takes._

Something in his body snapped, rather like a firecracker.

Airdramon was willing to kill for the sake of his pride. Was pride the same as power? It couldn't be. So what was past pride? Was there an answer?

If there was, he couldn't find it, not from the bubbling beneath his skin and the odd scent that was coming from his body. Was that... what they smelled all the time? Did power smell like overripe citrus and hickory smoke?

Or was that hypocrisy?

_Is this me?_

_I dunno,_ said the questioner.  _Do you want it to be?_

No. No he didn't.

…

"Ow!"

Andrea opened one eye as Ivy rubbed at the left side of her head. "That was weird!" She turned to her friend, but Andrea only kept her eyes up at the sky for a moment.

Then she spoke, voice heavy, eyes half-lidded. "What happened?" Without much thought, the young woman pulled Blutwich from her pocket, stroking the hilt with an idle thumb. Ivy watched the agitation hum around Andrea's body like a hive of bees.

Andrea may have told them both to go, but Andy hadn't done it on a clean conscience. Andy was the big sister, and she wanted to protect Teri so much it hurt. Now if only Andy remembered how to smile and Teri learned to take a cue. Sometimes, Ivy really wanted to shake them. As it was, she had a better idea.

Distraction.

She turned and easily slipped to wrap herself possessively around Andrea's waist. She leaned up and kissed her friend's half-open mouth like she was stealing a chocolate, or at least that was how Jade said to do it. Andrea reciprocated, if only to humor her. She hadn't been romantic in years, and Ivy hated that. She would make an attempt if Ivy asked her to, but the girl thought that rather missed the point.

Andrea raised an eyebrow at her when she pulled away. "Reasoning?"

"You're like a wound-up slinky."

Andrea shrugged.

Ivy sighed. "Come on, Andy, you're worried, I'm worried, inappropriate conduct is  _always_ appropriate."

"What about Sayri?"

She scowled. "What about him?" She had nothing against the guy, not really, but Andy was better. "He's got something in his head... or something. I dunno. That Ouroboros air-breath makes my skin crawl. Makes it hard to see... you know I'm piss at mental magic most of the time." She took a deep breath. "I can't really see it, but I know that it's there. It's squirming, you know."

Andrea nodded, finally being nice enough to actually hug back. "So... pretty sure?"

Ivy nodded. "He's got that pretty little sparkly!" She sighed. "Do you want me to keep looking?"

Andrea shook her head. "As long as the dragon is there, it's pointless. Give everyone a status update... and please don't make Teri fall this time."

Ivy grumbled and leaned into her friend's chest for stability. "It was an accident!" She closed her eyes and smiled at Andrea's grip tightening protectively closer. "His mother's weird, by the way. She click at all?"

"Like a blurry Kodak," Andrea admitted. "Nothing solid or believable. What's gone is gone."

Ivy only nodded, shyly. "Erin says you were right. Kid's a Chimaera, un-Triggered. And it ain't a pretty go either."

Andrea shivered and winced. "Poor thing. At least she isn't dead." Ivy shuddered. Yes, there was that. "Jade?"

"Just left Xavier and is headed towards the safe house. The man was scheming and he didn't want to get involved."

The purple-haired teen nodded. "Soon," she said softly. "We're almost ready."

"At long last," Ivy murmured, falling silent. They stayed like that for a few moments more before Ivy grumbled. "I still want you."

Andrea laughed. "I know."

Ivy shook her head. "But... I'll wait. You saved me Andy. You saved us all. I'd do anything for that, you know I would."

"That's because you're a fool." She sighed. "Just be happy Ivy."

"I am!" Ivy assured. "With you and Teri and Erin and Jade! I'm really happy with you guys!"

"What about Sayri?"

Again, she asked that. "He'll be better with that thing gone. But you guys will always be first."

"If he dies?"

Ivy shrugged. "Then I'll smile, cry, and lop off that ouroboros' head. That thing is  _bad,_  Andy."

"I know."

They both looked to see something drop from the sky.

In less than a second, they went to save it.


	10. Euterpe

_The air smelled like woodsmoke and lightning strikes. Fire gleamed and wind slashed at his skin as he fell. Something roared, a great noise that went from animalistic to mechanical as his whole body burned and tried to… to…_

Sayri coughed awake, head throbbing a steady drumbeat with his body. He licked his lips with a tongue that felt like wool and winced. "Good lord," he croaked out. "The hell was I doin'? Ow…"

"I'd like to ask you the same thing, dear boy," mused a quiet voice. "Nearly gave us all a heart attack.

Sayri shot up in bed and then grimaced in pain. "Ow…Xavier-san, giving me one won't do anything… god, why am I in a bed? Where am I?"

Xavier shut the book he was reading, brushing his red hair from his eyes. "Safe, dear boy, by the skin of your teeth, but yes you are. The others have been rather concerned, since you fell from the sky."

Sayri clenched his eyes and mouth shut, letting the words slowly run over him. "I… I did…?"  _Did I hit my head? I remember all of… what?_

"Yes, you've been quite a hassle. Watching you sleep is not very interesting by the way, do keep a note on the lack of excitement once we were sure you weren't dead." Xavier rose from his chair, bones popping. Sayri resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Fell from the sky with no parachute, but a little boy and his little monster in tow. Imagine our curiosity when Andrea and Ivy come back with the lot of you."

Sayri groaned. "Imagine mine. I've got no clue, sir. My head… I barely even remember going into the sky."

"You will," Xavier said easily. "Just the shock of it all, and the exhaustion. Sleeping for two days would do it."

"Y-Yeah… it would, I guess." Sayri forced himself to move out of the bed, Xavier helping him to stand up. He almost fell backwards. "Geez, I sure feel it… dang…"

"Suppose you need help to a shower? My apologies… you would normally take one at night…"

Sayri nodded his thanks, trying to adjust to the feeling of pins and needles in his feet. "It's all right, sir. Rather do it now when you're here instead of wait and risk Erin seeing my butt."

Xavier laughed. "Erin wouldn't be interested but, if it comforts you, Jade has seen plenty more than that."

Sayri ducked his head, face turning red. "You're… you're pretty mean, aren't you Xavier-san?" Not that that likely wasn't true, but… did he really need that information? Really… who knew what Jade would do with those images?

"Quite," the man agreed without hesitation, and casually carried him forward. Sayri glanced about him at the walls. How big was their apartment? They're living in Japanese mansions, not Western ones! "Our building was asked to evacuate after the incident at your apartment, Sayri-kun. Naturally, we refused."

"You could have left," Sayri muttered.

Xavier nodded. "My job can go anywhere, but they can't. They've decided to stay and… well, it would be shameful for me to leave them. Guardian duty, all that."

"... You're a better man than me, sir."

"Well," Xavier stopped at a door and knocked. "That's because you're still a boy. Anyone in there?"

"Aye," a female voice filtered through the door. "Just about finished for the moment."

"Good morning, Andy," Xavier greeted, stepping back with Sayri. "Still some hot water? How's the arm?"

"Plenty, sir," she replied. "Hair was being a mite more troublesome. Arm is feeling a little stiff, would it be troubling for you to take a look at it?"

"After he helps me limp my way to boil, yeah," Sayri cut in.

Andrea laughed. "You will be well, friend. It looks worse than it is."

"Well, I  _feel_  like crap."

Andrea tutted. "Painkillers are behind the mirror. Close your eyes."

He could do that. He could do something like that without any problems whatsoever, so long as he didn't fall back asleep. The door clicked open and he heard Andrea walk past the door. Xavier led him to sit on the closed toilet seat, then left. Sayri sighed and opened his eyes again. He looked down at his fingers and cursed. "Someone turn me into a turkey or something?" Swelling bruises and blistery patches layered the flesh he could see, and his clothes felt strangely thin. Thank god he couldn't see his face in the mirror.

"Maybe I was set on fire," he muttered aloud. With a grimace, he began to peel at the fabric, wincing at the sound it made. It was rather like flypaper. Shirt free and ruined (maybe someone would burn it later), he turned on the faucet with a frighteningly loud squeak. Must be an older couple's house then because not even his  _dad_  was too proud to fix the pipes. Hot water splashed down to the already soaked tile and Sayri rummaged with the rest of his clothes. As he undressed, the trinket clattered to the floor.

Sayri glanced at it and a word blossomed in his mind.  _Digivice_.

His mind whimpered at the sight of the cracked screen. It glowed a dull neon-green for a moment then winked off. Sayri grinned mirthlessly. "Wonderful. I broke the thing."

"Don't you always," Airdramon taunted in his mind. "Hypocrite. You try to do so well, to help people, but-"

"Don't want to hear that from you." he spat to the air, stepping into the shower. Instantly, he hissed in pain and red dripped onto the the tiling.  _And to think,_  he mused.  _I haven't used soap yet_.

When he finally finished,he was grateful find that he was in less pain, and that there were clean, tall was even able to , there was a sweet smell in the air. It was rather like mint.

"Jade, if it burns, I'm bitin' yer hand."

Erin's voice was clear in the hallway and Sayri snickered as he walked. Guy could be damn loud when he wanted to be. Using the wall as a handhold, he made his way to the open kitchen. On one side, something simmered, watched by the careful eyes of a familiar little boy with black hair, and Erin sat on a chair in the other. The male was grimacing as Jade combed his hair. He scowled deeper as Sayri walked in, but it seemed to be directed more at Jade's fingers upon his right cheek. " 'S not my' fault! Short hair's weird!"

Jade rolled his eyes and waved at Sayri with a scissor-free hand. Sayri grinned in return. "Heya, Jade, Boss. Looking a bit domestic, there."

"Lookin' better than you, beanpole," Erin shot back, cheeks turning pink. "I was tryin' ta be all happy you were alive an' stuff! Guess dat was my fault."

Sayri smirked a little, watching Jade giggle shamelessly behind his hand. "What about Jade's feelings then?"

"He's a man; he can handle the disappointment." Jade seemed to snort, which looked hilarious without the noise to accompany it. Erin frowned at him. "Seriously though, man, ya look like shit."

"Glad to know you look at shit a lot," Sayri deadpanned. "Probably still better than you." It was… weird. They had been around each other all of… what? A few days? It was… weird!

Erin shrugged as he rose to his feet, wiping stray blue hairs from his shoulders. "If it helps ya sleep at night, dude." Jade winked and put the chair away. "Also, thanks fer scarin' Ivy outta her wits. She don't like stuff fallin' from the sky unless she does it. Almost dropped the kid when she got 'im."

"Kid...' He remembered Sayri mentioning one but… He could picture a flash of blond hair and green fabric. Oh. "Crap! That guy all right?" His head ached. "And… and that angel guy, he was… and where are Asteria and Airdramon?" Panic welled with a pounding headache.

Jade moved over to grip his arm and Erin shook his head, moving towards the stove. "Easy man," the smaller commented. "Yer bad off. Forcin' it's a bad idea."

"But…" he protested. "But what happened to her?"

Erin dumped rice into a nearby cooker. "She didn't come back."

…

"Agh… damn it… damn it!"

He crawled away with one gloved hand, trying to pull himself up and failing as electricity struck at his spine. "Damn you!" he wailed, not caring if he was heard. "Damn you, you stupid human! Damn you!"

He had been so, so close to having them all under his hammer. All of them bloody pulps. He pulled himself up and glared at the sky he had been in. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see blue sparks and red flames. "I'll kill you," he snarled, though it came out more as a whimper of pain. "I'll kill you, you freaky code thing! Mugendramon was right, you're anomalies! You're bad! I'll kill you!"

"Take a number," he heard her whisper, and the gleam of silver Chrome blades shone in the remaining fires. "You're not all that scary, little Dark Master."

He turned and raised his hammer over his head. "You take that back, brat!"

"Die first," Asteria hummed with a cold smile.

And their battle began again, with a dragon howling in the smoky sky.

…

"Andy!"

Ivy whispered this greeting from her chair near the bed. under the covers slept the small girl. Ivy thought she was paler than Teri, and that took a lot of skill. Andrea came to stand behind her and her still-drying hair dripped onto Ivy's shirt.

"Find anything?"Andrea asked, watching her friend pull her dark hands from near the pale head.

Ivy frowned and clicked her tongue. She took her old coin in one hand and reflexively, Andrea rested her free one where her dagger sat in one pocket. "Y'know," the girl began. "I'd like t' remind you I ain't no mental magician, and that Jade would do a better job than me…"

"But?"

" _But,_ " Ivy dragged out the word. "There's something in me that is making me try really hard anyway. Like, it feels like  _him_ , all scared and happy at once. You remember how bad he is when he doesn't understand something. Knowing but not getting…" She groaned. "It's like having the wrong puzzle piece or something… muh."

Andrea carefully perched at the foot of the bed. "He… he knows her then? Then… do you think she is connected with the child our friend brought with him?"

"A kid in the rainbow? Probably. He always had a bad habit of finding the wrong fellas to hang out with." She gave Jade a mental nudge. "So, how do you think them guys screwed up to get her back here like this?"

"Worse than the old-time, perhaps" Andrea murmured. "Has she Triggered?"

Ivy shook her head, flipping the coin. "Not for lack of tryin' though. Erin said woman who had her was slippin', like on an ice rink slipping."

Andrea sighed. Erin would know all about slipping people. "Did he kill her?"

"Said he didn't, didn't smell like it."  _Not that that means much._ "Said she was fixable. Kid was certainly not makin' a fuss either way, though. Was kinda tryin but-"

Andrea shrugged. Reformatting was reformatting. Nothing stayed the same.

Ivy nodded. "Kinda like Teri… but I think the Digimon won the body. Either way, she needs the equalizing soon… or…"

Andrea patted her on the head. "My job, my Ivinci. Go help with breakfast."

Ivy squealed softly. "I could never miss a chance to annoy Erin!" She skipped out of the room and Andrea took her place.

For a while, she sat there, and watched the girl breathe. Xavier may not find sleeping people all that interesting, but Andrea found it woefully reassuring. As long as they were breathing, they were alive. That was enough, to her. To all of them, really.

She closed her eyes and rested her clawed fingers over the girl's own, running them along the crossed scar at the top. The girl stirred.

"It's all right now," she whispered. "It's going to be fine. You must be scared, having two people in your head like this, both wanting to wake up, but wanting to sleep forever." She reached out and patted the girl's hair. "There's plenty to wake up for. We'll show you… we'll go together. Just you wait and see."

The girl opened her bright eyes in a slit, which she found to be a rosy color. "Who… are you?"

"My name is Andrea," was the purple woman's reply. "You may call me Andy. I'm just like you. May I ask your name?"

"I…" the girl murmured, expression shifting into wakefulness. "The lady called me Kayla."

"And she was wrong, wasn't she?" Andrea tutted. "Come, my lass, let us see if we can figure it out together. Erin is here, if we don't. He is good at thinking of names."

The small child nodded, and Andrea smiled.

"That's a smart friend."

…

Takeru rubbed his eyes with his fists and looked at his silent Digivice. He had been alternating between this and counting wall cracks, simply because he refused to leave his tiny room until he was sure no one was going to jump him, or when his stomach gave out. This was probably going to be resolved by the smell of breakfast, but until then, he could hold back.

He decided to look down at Patamon, his partner dozing in his lap with little care in the world. Takeru managed a weak smile. The guy had earned it. He had evolved! He had evolved to Perfect and fought Pinochimon! He hadn't won, but he certainly had fought. It had felt good, so powerful! He had survived and escaped the enemy, and he hadn't been a burden! And yet…

Now what?

He was back in the human world, but nothing was solved. He couldn't go home to his mom, she would be horrified or never let him leave! And he couldn't let that happen, not when the sky remained this broken. Not when the others were still out there somewhere.

And not with Hikari still dead…. and not avenged.

He didn't cry; his mourning over her death had carried him through the early months of his time in the forest. Then Takeru had beaten himself up for it. She had not wanted anyone to cry for her; he remembered that much of that day. Though the many years had made his head a little foggy about details, he remembered that clearly enough. She had been strong.

But being strong didn't make her any less drowned at the bottom of the ocean with Whamon.

But what did? His power made him no closer to a hero than he had been before it. All he had left was hope.

Hope wasn't power.

That girl from before…  _she_  had had power. It wasn't fair. She could use lightning… and… and those weapons. She could fight all by …. he was jealous. But that girl could do something all by herself!

 _Yeah,_  sneered his brain, the voice sounding too much like that puppet, like that stupid puppet.  _And she was dumb and saved you. She got stuck there, fighting your fight and with that yappy dragon too! Hahaha!_

Takeru shivered, trying to contain himself. Patamon stirred. "Takeru…"

He smiled without thinking, and the dark feeling went away. "Patamon!" He gave him a gentle hug. "You were so cool! You saved us and fought and looked all strong! It was awesome!"

Patamon smiled, looking a little embarrassed. "I was only cool because of you, Takeru!" Takeru's face fell and Patamon headbutt him. "No, Takeru! I couldn't have done that without you! So don't be like that! You were awesome and brave! You believed in me!"

The boy shook his head himself. "No… I didn't do anything special at all."

"You really mustn't misread yourself," said a soft, deep voice through the cracked door. If it weren't for the familiar ease in the tone that made Takeru always think of women, even Mimi-san, he would have sworn that was a boy's voice. It wasn't anything like that guy who had helped him though, which made him a little antsy. "Pardon me, but I'm coming in."

She entered the room and he recognized her now, the girl with purple hair who had shown him to this room. In her arms was a white bundle, or maybe a person. It was big enough to be a person. She smiled at him, an odd smile that made him feel, not comfortable exactly, but safe. Patamon raised his head at her and sniffed at the person, ears raised.

"I was walking down to breakfast when I heard that," she continued and Takeru crossed out the word "girl" in his mind with her, as she was probably older than his Onii-chan. "You should really think more highly of yourself."

Takeru frowned. "But I left your friend there."

She tutted, waving a free hand. "Teri had a plan." There was a pause and the woman shook her head. "Probably a right stupid plan, but she had one. Is it a human thing to take responsibility for things that they have no possibility of being their fault? So selfish."

Takeru blinked, and the thing in her arms tittered softly. Before he could stop himself, Patamon blurted out. "Tailmon?"

Takeru felt himself freeze as the person turned her head to look at him with bright, red eyes. White hair fell over that face, and from that color alone, and the large ears on that head, it could be Tailmon. but.. it was just…

"Hikari-chan?"

It was just too human.


	11. The World Calling

_Hikari?_

The girl who had once been Kayla shifted at those words. Her heart gave a heavy  _thud_  and in the aftershocks came whispers, murmurs like baby bird wings. The woman called Andrea set her down and urged her forward with a push of palms at her back. 'Kayla' frowned and looked up at the taller woman. The shockwaves in her didn't relax, but they weren't painful in the slightest, so she looked back at the blond boy. He seemed like he wanted to cry. His Digimon (that word was back, and with possession, why did the possession matter?) was sniffing at her, his eyes following the swishing of her thin tail.

"Hikari-chan?" The boy repeated. He had a name, he must. She probably knew it too. He was trying not to shake, trying not to break was more accurate. She closed her eyes, imagining the word. Light. Brightness.

Yet... snuffed out. The light had been snuffed out by-

_-the water, the water and the blood-_

_Screams that used to be loud, but the sound was washed away with the pain and the rushing wind. Her hands grasp at the clouds and at fur but to no avail. Someone is-_

"Don't cry, Takeru-kun," she heard herself say because he needed it. The name, like a new outfit, slid over her skin, brushing away the girl she apparently wasn't. Whoever this Hikari was, they must have been beloved. Thinking of the name brought a familiar warmth, like the hand in her hair before her ears and a loud whistle that tried to fly. There was no urge to lie here.

Perhaps this  _was_  the name.

If it was, there was nothing dramatic happening, except that the blond boy was hiccupping and half of herself was saying hug him. Half. Because one name fit, but the other wasn't there. So she did it, the motion awkward and unruly. But the other one, the whisperer in her brain who wanted her to never remember, remained silent this time and a tension eased out of her shoulders.

Maybe she would be okay too.

"I'm… I'm not crying," she heard him say before drops trickled to land on her cheek. Her ears flattened and she gave a chiding sigh, feeling suddenly very old. Her fingers felt his cheek, and then brushed at another, fainter scar. It was like her hands - _paws-_ all over again, yet it was much more saddening than hers.

"Many bad things have happened, huh?"

As she spoke these words, her memories whispered, one like the water and the other like wings beating in the air. They didn't shout, as if they too feared her body rebelling against knowing each secret.

"Uh-huh," he replied, in a voice that she recognized as with relief, she would guess. Humans were relieved by the prospect of life, whatever form that may be.

That kind woman had proven that much to her, if nothing else.

"I wish I could remember."

Takeru pulled away to glare at her, eyes hot and electric-blue as Patamon crawled off his lap, cringing a little. "No you don't," he said. "You don't!" His fists clenched tightly, but Hikari paid no mind to this.

"I do."

"She does," Andrea agreed, voice as solemn as her smile. "A Chimaera cannot lie." She sighed deeply and went to the door. "I'll leave it to you, Princess."

Hikari nodded, picking apart Takeru's reaction, which seemed unusual based on the reaction of the others here. Then again, it was clear that Takeru was not like them, more normal, in a way. She moved herself on the bed to face him, sitting cross-legged and tilting her head.

"You know me," she said, looking at the boy that was or was not a stranger to her. She knew this was the truth because Erin said it, and he couldn't lie, and because Takeru knew her. And the person who had been keeping an eye on her before  _thought_ they were important to each other because she had been trying to read her mind about it. Hikari wanted to protest over that, but the idea quickly lost its necessity. It wasn't like it would change anything.

When Takeru didn't really reply to this, she reached out towards the Digimon. Patamon, she had heard his name through the door. He happily accepted her hand at his head, padding over to rest there. Patamon had said another name too, something rather unusual.

 _Tailmon,_ her brain chirped.  _It's Tailmon, and you're crazy for thinking about it. Crazy!_

Not a problem.

Takeru was saying something now, but she really couldn't understand it. His words didn't even sound Japanese. Or maybe she just wasn't listening well enough. A little of it made sense. He didn't want her to know something.

Her ears lifted as he spoke, sniffing suddenly. How strange… Patamon nudged her arm and looked at her. Oh… She nodded and the little mammal drooped his head, like he wanted a scratch under his chin. She obliged him. So Patamon noticed it too.

"Takeru-kun, please stop lying to yourself and tell me what's making you smell like that."

He stared at her, and she wondered briefly if he had even noticed the ears and tail yet. He just was avoiding it, she would guess. It wasn't like they were hard to see. Knowing that, Hikari continued. "Takeru, everything is bad. I know that. What about the rest? It has to be important."

He struggled for a moment, shutting his eyes and not even paying attention to Patamon's little black paw reaching for his leg. Then, the little boy's head dropped and he muttered something that, again, she couldn't understand.

"Hmm?"

His clenched hands gripped at his pants and he glared at her, or maybe it was at someone else but she was the only thing to direct it at. Hard to tell. "Taichi-san… your brother… he  _gave up._ " For some reason, this person was important, necessary, because her heart twinged even as the scent grew stronger and made her nose burn. "You weren't there but he was so great once! He brought us all together. Onii-chan stopped glaring for so, so long when he came back and brought us together. He brought us as a team to save you and go back to that place," He jerked his thumb towards the outside sky, the gesture made with too much force. "And then you  _saved_ him."

_Certainly appears I didn't really save anyone._

The thought was quick and almost left her mouth, but Hikari decided against it. Not useful.

"So… I died?"

Takeru nodded, the movement so strong it almost made him bend over. "That…  _jerk_ ," He had hesitated, clearly not finding a word powerful enough. "Aimed for Taichi-san… and you pushed him down… and you… your Tailmon and… a sword..." He shook tears out of his eyes and Hikari briefly wondered why it was such a big deal if he wept. Instead he locked eyes with her. "Why did you do it?"

Hikari had no idea because his words brought forth no memories, no lingering regrets or thoughts. Looking at it logically, she could grasp at some form of reason, flimsy as it was. "I thought his life… was more needed than mine… I guess."

The name "Taichi" connected with the thought of him as her brother… Though a confusing concept, she thought of the warm hand and smiled. "Yes… yes… that was it!" She shouldn't feel so triumphant, but she did. "If Onii-chan lived on, he could make everything right! That was why…"

Takeru didn't seem to comprehend her joy, and only frowned deeper. "Well, he didn't. And that sort of thinking… that can't be right."

Hikari smiled. "It was right to me." To her, that was all that mattered.

…

"Did you leave her with him?"

Erin watched the meat with a wary eye as Ivy asked, blue eyes glimmering with the hope for the potential of mayhem. Andrea pulled at one of the knives near the male's head, nodding absently. Ivy grinned and skipped away as Erin piped up.

"Girly, let go of the shiny, sharp object."

Andrea pouted, as well as she could. " _My_ knife. You can't deprive me of my toys, Erin." She began to chop up lettuce leaves.

"Psychopath," Erin commented.

"Queen."

"No denying it?"

"I don't have the psychological proof to counter your accusation."

The two of them smirked at each other and continued to work, Andrea sparing Sayri one glance from where Sayri sat at the table. He looked like he was thinking hard, which never boded well when a teenager did that normally. "Him?"

"Teri," Erin clarified quietly, rolling his eyes at Jade's innocent-looking examination of Sayri's wounded arms and face. Conniving bastard. He raised his voice. "Jade if yer gonna bug the idiot, do it outside. We're almost outta milk."

"Good to see your clinginess has toned down a notch," Andrea mused, mussing his hair with her knifeless hand. Erin yelped and ducked to the side, as the girl grinned playfully. "Going to be a good leader after all."

"Shut up!" he snapped. "Don't do that, darn it! Yer hair is wet, you  _pig_!"

Andrea laughed and Erin gave her a light punch to the chest. "Girly-boy…"

"This girly-boy can beat ya in a fist fight!" He scoffed. "You and yer  _barbarian_  antics!"

She chuckled at him. "I'll take that wager, my friend." Winking at Sayri, she added. "He's a bigger drama queen than you, my hypocritical young man."

Erin stuck out his tongue.

Jade giggled and began to tug at Sayri's arm. Reflexively, Sayri jerked away. "Dude that still hurts! What are you doing? You just healed that!"

"Go help him shop and he'll stop," Erin advised,setting down a plate. "Jade's easy to please. Sex, food, companionship, stress balls, just give him what he wants and he'll leave you alone. Pick at yer food first at least. I ain't poisonin' people this week."

"That first part was  _too much_ information there, Boss…"

"Careful, I might change m' mind." Andrea snorted, going to peek in the fridge. "We're outta eggs too, Jade!" Erin added without looking. "Feedin' eleven people on that old man's salary… we gotta be nuts…" Jade leaned against the wall and nodded, watching Sayri. Though he had smiled at Erin's comment, his eyes were dark and even a bit broody.

"You guys…" he finally said, nay, shouted. "Ya really are crazy! I mean, Teri's out there! And Airdramon's not the nicest guy in this place and he's with her! And you're all cracking jokes and talking about groceries and just… what the hell?"

Erin glanced at him for a second, expression knowing. Then he sighed. "Jade, intervention please."

Sayri blinked.  _That_ didn't sound good for his sanity. "What the hell-ow!" He suddenly found his head ringing and his eyes looking at the ceiling. Pain bounced into his back as Jade easily dragged him out of his chair and across the floor by his shirt. The trinket -Digivice, he really had to stop forgetting that- fell from his pants pocket and clattered to the floor like a toy.

Andrea picked it up and stared at it, turning the cracked device over in her hands. Sayri watched her eyes. From this angle, he could see them narrow and her frown grow puzzled. As she looked at the cracked screen, Erin tapped her on the arm."Andy," he said quietly, and Sayri watched his small hand lean to clap her higher shoulder. They had the same look in their eyes, he realized as Erin continued. "Give it back to 'em."

"It's broken," Sayri said lazily. "She can keep it." He tried to sit up, but Jade merely adjusted his grip on his shirt. "This is totally gonna ruin the fabric."

Andrea tossed the device to drop onto his chest anyway, calling to Jade as she turned around. "Carrots, if you would. I think I'm going blind."

Jade giggled and Sayri snorted. It wasn't that funny, except, coming from Andrea, it was. Sayri squirmed. "Dude, I have legs to walk with!" With a smile, Jade released the taller boy and let him stand up. Sayri glared at him and rolled his eyes, pocketing the device again as they went out the door.

"Jade likes him," Andrea noted as Erin turned off the stove.

Erin laughed. The noise was none of the rough bark, but soft, even nervous. The accent vanished, smoothing clipped words to smooth phrases. "I can't complain, I suppose. He hasn't had a friend since you."

She snorted and cleaned up the table, picking up the chair. "We both know that he and I should not have been allowed to stay in the same room."

"Heh-eh, true enough." Erin fell silent, thoughtful. "I'll tell him, you know. When it's right."

"I'll trust your decision when it comes to that. Eri is a good one after all. You know, even when you think you don't."

Erin flushed and laughed. "At least you take me at my word." He smiled ruefully. "Some things will never change."

"Is good."

"It can be." He placed the dishes in the water. "You're the only one of us who's really okay with being in the thick of it, of the blood. So… be careful, Andy. Okay?"

"I make no promises," Andrea said, mussing his hair. "I promised  _him_  that I would protect you all. And I will however I can."

"No matter what," Erin finished with a sigh, rolling his eyes.

"No matter what."

...

Sayri really wondered how a boy could skip with a whiteboard in his hand.

Then again, this  _was_ Jade he was looking at.

The other stopped and grinned, daring him to say something. Sayri waved a hand, rolling his eyes. Seriously, Jade was a good guy… but he had to feel sorry for Erin. Dating him must be like keeping a puppy out of a food barrel.

"Jade?"

The other drew a question mark on the board.

Sayri grimaced, ruffling his hair. "Sorry, uh… for what I said out there, guess it was kinda bad of me. But… well, why are you guys okay?"

Jade flipped the board as he walked, scribbling in everything but kanji and nearly squishing the  _kana_  together. [We have a lot to do, right now. And besides, it's Teri. She always does this stuff.]

"Are you saying it's okay to leave her in her mess?" That didn't fit, not for the guys who always seemed to stand up for each other and clicked so well that they understood taps on the shoulder to mean different things.

Jade laughed as he scribbled again. [So melodramatic,] said the board. [Course not. But we can't do anything from here, and we don't know where she is. So panicking won't work.] He erased and added. [Best just to believe in her and wait. It's killing Andy, but we have to.]

"You make it sound easy." Sayri grimaced. "I hate waiting. Tension sucks."

[Welcome to the club. Sorry, no jackets.]

Sayri laughed, and it felt good, and Jade beamed as they made their way closer to the supermarket. "You really are a simple kind of guy,huh?" Jade shrugged, looking amused at the idea. "Kinda like Teru. He's happy with average grades and a new Playstation." He thought of Teru. Was the guy awake and being forced to shop with their parents? Was Dakota poking at her green peppers with her spoon and begging Haru to turn off their portable radio?

Had Mom told Dad where he was?

Were they worried about him?

He glanced at Jade, who was pretending to teeter on a large planter. Actually…

"Did Mr. Xavier adopt all of you guys?"

Jade made a "sort-of" gesture with his hand, like the moving of an old scale.

"Oh. Touchy subject then. Good enough." Sayri shrugged. "It's probably complicated." Jade gave him a sage smile and nodded. "Wha-What's with the look, man?"

He got a wink for his confusion, the other beginning to skip again. "Dude, that's a stereotype if I ever saw one."

[So? That's a human thing, stereotyping. If it's fun, I'll do it anyway. And it's fun.]

"... Well damn man. That's deep."  _And I'm really starting to get Erin's point. Damn, he is easily pleased._

[:)]

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

Sayri froze mid-step as Jade looked back from his balancing act. He hesitated a moment, then sighed. "Nice to see you too, Ginga."

The weedy boy fiddled with his bike lock. "Thought you died in that building." He wasn't looking at Sayri, which the other was grateful for. This was awkward. They had never really… gotten along, but… after the past few days, he wasn't sure it was all that important.

"Me?" He tried at a grin. "Nah. Someone has to put you in your place."

Ginga snorted. "Yeah, please. I need to keep your hypocrisy from spreading. It's like stupidity, a disease in the air."

"No more than yours," Sayri shot back, but he felt no real malice, which was good. He felt more tired at the sight of Ginga, the old fight somehow less fiery but more meaningful than it had been before. Was it really such a short time since the arcade? Damn.

Well, he still wanted to punch the guy. Grudges died hard.

"Hmph," Ginga grunted, pushing his sweaty hair out of the way to look at Jade. "Who's he? Somebody take pity on you?" He scrutinized Jade, who tilted his head. "You look smarter than that."

"Ginga," Sayri said, glowering. They had been so close to a truce. "Lay off, okay? Seriously, Jade's just a nice guy, I'm helping him out. He's helping me out. That's it."  _Isn't it? We aren't really friends yet, right?_

Jade gave Sayri a curious look. Then he smiled, stepping over. Jade easily knelt and pulled Ginga to his feet. quickly letting go. His smile only widened as he pulled back one fist and socked the other boy in the face, hard enough to send him back into his bike.

Sayri whistled. "Is that your way of saying 'I don't like you.' If it is, I'm never pissing you off."

Jade nodded and shook his head in the same gesture. [He doesn't have to be an ass just because he's right.]

"RIght about…?"

[Your smell.]

"Oh that." Sayri shrugged and went to hold out a hand to the reeling idiot. "He's been calling me one for years." He flashed Ginga a scowl. "Blaming me for fighting back when he started it with Haru and stuff. Got bad. Apparently, I've got anger issues now so they kicked me outta school." He rolled his eyes. "Parents never hear the end of it."

Ginga ignored his hand, pulling himself up. "Your fault for getting so mad. Think no one else is allowed to brawl, don't you?"

Sayri ignored him. "Wasn't just him," he added, not sure why he was saying all of this to Jade, who hadn't even asked. "A bunch of kids, their parents, everybody." He paused, making sure Jade hadn't smacked the guy's head into metal or something. "It's the weirdo culture thing that got me. But… you guys probably have it worse. You and Erin too… never thought about it like that…" He grinned. "It must suck huh?"

Jade grinned at him. [We've had worse.] He moved toward the automatic doors, then stopped, looking up at the sky. His eyes widened and he stepped to stand in front of the two humans, glaring upward.

"Jade…?"

The air screamed, a low sound that shook more than a few of the surrounding buildings. Ginga jumped to his feet and looked around. "Dude, the hell was that…?"

"Not sure I want to know," Sayri replied. "C'mon, run!" Ginga was quick to follow, but Jade waited, pulling the sweater arm back to touch a leather bracelet at his wrist. "Jade! Come on!" He could probably fight, sure, but even Sayri could tell Jade had nothing on Andy.

Jade didn't reply, but the bracelet glowed and he pushed off with one foot, jumping away from a rain of fire.

A voice hissed in Sayri's mind, raspy and twisted like the tendrils of fresh smoke and blood after a lost tooth. " _Ouroboros."_

He froze. That was  _not_ Ivy. He looked at the floating boy. "... Jade…?"

A nod. " _Get ready."_

"How are you doing this?"

" _My Trigger,"_  was the clipped reply. " _Get ready. He's coming for you."_

Sayri didn't ask, just grabbed Ginga by the wrist and ran. As they ran, there was a great rumble of the earth that threw them off their feet. Sayri looked back for a moment, and saw the entire block, supermarket, apartments, and businesses all, engulfed in flames.

Jade was nowhere in sight.

However.

Asteria lay at the edge of the chaos, unmoving.


	12. why, or why not

_Clank._

"Damn it…"

_Clank._

"That…  _bitch…"_

The once-bright voice dragged like the grind of a wood-chipper.

_Clank._

"Lousy  _cheat_ , pretending to be all human with her fragile face… demonic  _bitch…"_

"My, Pinocchimon…. you look rather, hmm…" Piemon chuckled. "Like someone cut your strings?"

"Cram it!" shrieked the puppet, dragging his chipped, sparking feet across the blackened earth of the tent floor. "You weren't out there, Piemon, so shut your hole!" He limped toward the emptiest patch of dirt and collapsed there, left foot clanging to the floor and off his leg. His voice careened from depth to harsh wail as he screamed, one eyeball rolling in the artificial socket. "We need to go to that other world and  _eradicate_ those lumps of cheating slime!"

His body seemed to vibrate as he snarled. "That one, that was just one, she  _cheated_  and reduced me to  _this_!" He gestured with a dangling hand. "A cheater and a liar, and so are  _you_!" He whirled on the sea serpent floating at the other side of the small tent. "You could have  _warned_  me, you bastard! You and your stupid plans  _ruined_  my territory!"

MetalSeadramon blinked, licking his bottom lip. "I assure you I would have broken down any of my plans into simple sentences if I had any plans to speak of."

" _Don't screw around!"_ Pinocchimon howled, trying to hobble up on one leg. "Your  _mole_ set my home on fire! I know he was yours, he smelled like he had sand in his scales! Stupid little bastard, you could have him on a better leash!" He clutched at his chest, as if in pain, gloved fingers scrabbling over the splintered wood and melted gears that slowly turned in his chest. "Did you put him up to making my forest charcoal? HUH? Screaming we all had to pay for the  _atrocities_  we committed about his cruddy life! How much did you give him to make him that stupid, huh? HE BURNED MY FOREST!"

MetalSeadramon almost desired arms, so he could shrug. Instead, he smiled. "No loss."

Pinocchimon's other eye bulged in its mechanical socket, and he lifted his cracked hammer over his head. "I'll show  _you_ no loss!" He swung it down, but it didn't reach the ground.

MetalSeadramon turned his head and fired a blast from the cannon on his snout. The puppet didn't even have time to scream before he was disintegrated, leaving nothing more than a few floating particles and a gaping hole towards a grey sky.

Piemon sighed with a theatrical flick of his hand. "Was that  _really_ necessary? I did so love the color scheme of this tent."

"His antics grew tiresome," replied the sea monster. "Little boys only have a limited way to bring about pleasure. I'd quite like to have a turn."

"But didn't you already start?" Piemon giggled. "Quite rude of you not to tell us."

"It wasn't worth mentioning. Pinocchimon was uncreative but not entirely foolish." MetalSeadramon flicked his tail. "He's likely already lost all useful traits now…" He smirked. "Though I suppose it won't hurt to allocate better resources."

"So much for a second," Piemon mused, sipping wine with a smile. "I suppose they bore me too much to keep one."

"He has his uses still," MetalSeadramon said, looking out towards the direction of his almighty ocean. "Few though they may be, he has not failed me yet."

Piemon smiled. "I suppose we have varying standards of failure. But… that is not my concern. Should we give our shadowmonger a place of glory for the moment?"

"For the moment," Mugendramon stated flatly.

 _Before I take it from him,_ MetalSeadramon thought with a smile.

* * *

In the world overlapping the Earth, a change began to spiral. The forest, now little more than crumbling tree bark and ashy dirt, began to vanish. Monochrome particles floated into the sky, spinning and vanishing, all towards the direction of a cone-like mountain.

Of the four bands that made the mountain what it was, the formerly dark green began to disappear, turning pitch-black.

The Digimon who remained in that forest, unaware of the death that had occurred only moments before, began to scream and panic as the same black and grey pixels began to lift from their bodies. Some of the cries they made were unintelligible to any ears who tried to translate it, but eventually, a mutual cry took the air.

"Chosen! Save us!"

But no one answered.

Not even the greyish water creeping over the vanishing land answered them. The two oceans met and gurgled, drinking the creatures too slow to die.

When the air was finally silent, void of creatures to scream or scream to, a human hand clutched at the ashy sand.

* * *

Hikari slowly went still, looking away from him towards the ceiling. Takeru closed his mouth. He wasn't even sure what he was talking about anymore, but she did ask questions that he could kind of answer.

He was thankful she wasn't looking at him anymore.

Then guilt and self-loathing welled up in his stomach like bile. This was Hikari-chan, he couldn't think like that.

Was it her?

It was her face, small and pale. It was the way she sat, still and quiet and off to the side despite being the center of attention. The same shape of eyes that were now more red than pink and were still that serious, too old and wise and just… different.

But now… she felt even more different.

Before, he had found HIkari to be just quiet. Now it was more like… contained, like she was a jar of some great thing that didn't listen to reason.

 _She should be dead_ , his mind said.  _Of course she's different, she's supposed to be dead!_

Even if she was dead…. she should still be more human. Those white things were not human ears… and HIkari-chan's hair was not supposed be white.

His head hurt.

As long as she still felt like Hikari, then he would just have to think of her that way. It was either that or go insane. If he wasn't already insane of course.

Actually, now that he thought about it, something was off. If Hikari-chan was who she was, and she had somehow survived a large sword to the torso, then where… where was Tailmon? He thought of Patamon, who was perfectly content with laying half on the girl's bare lap. What he had said...

"Hikari-chan?" She didn't look at him, but he watched her ears twitch. "Are… are you Tailmon too?"

She didn't answer right away, and Takeru tried to hope that he had offended her and been wrong. Then, she smiled, that little smile full of triumph that she had smiled when she had remembered why she had died. "Un!" She turned the expression towards him and tilted her head. "I am."

Takeru wanted to vomit, but at the moment, there was nothing for him to spew. " _How?_ "

Hikari frowned. "I don't remember." She shook her head. "I don't  _want_ to remember. Tailmon might remember, but she is scared. And you said Tailmon didn't get scared that much. So I want to remember a lot, but not that. Not now, when-" She stopped abruptly and her whole body stiffened, tail ramrod straight and ring sliding down. The ground shook, knocking them both to the floor. When the quake faded, Hikari pulled herself up first.

'I need to go," she said, bringing her tail to her vision. The ring on it glinted gold and shimmered. "I need to fight."

"Me too." Takeru didn't want her to just vanish on him again. He couldn't let that happen.

Hikari only shook her head. "Just me. You're hurt. Your smell is messed up and you're hurt."

Moving towards the open window, she pushed it open and threw herself out.

* * *

"Jade!  _Jade!"_

Ginga was pulling at Sayri's shirt, trying to get him to stop charging into the towering flames. Sayri took little notice, only managing to strain the fabrics of his shirt. He continued to shout until he coughed from the smoke, eyes streaming with tears. He wiped them away and shouted again. Seriously, they had just been going to the store! Erin was going to kill him."Come on ya idiot!" Ginga snapped. "You wanna be a crisp too?"

"Shut up!" Sayri snapped, coughing and covering his face. "That guy 'n his friends… they saved my damn life! My family's lives! And Teri… Teri is…" He saw her chest rise and fall, but that was not enough to calm him down. Her skin was too dark and red with blood, muscle showing on one leg. Her hands looked shredded, like his clothes from this morning. To be fair, the entire right side of her body looking someone had tried and failed to bite… He swallowed.

If she and Jade both died here…

He shook his head. "God… damn it!" He yanked his clothes out of Ginga's sweaty grip. "Look, dude, just get her out of here! I'm finding him and I'm getting out of dodge myself. Just… please. Help her." He sighed. "Please. I'll prostate for you if you want later."

Ginga hesitated, wide-eyed. Then he shook his head. "Forget it. I'll do it. Just… after this… wanna give each other a good punch?"

Sayri managed a grin through the veil of complete disbelief metaphorically floating over his brain. "Why the hell not?"

He wasn't sure what he was actually agreeing with or why he did it at all. After all, a fresh start like that from the guy who started all the fights… that was kind of weird wasn't it? Hypocritical even. But… well, he couldn't think about it now. It was probably never going to happen.

Deciding to stop thinking about it, he ran into the flames. Yes, this was a stupid idea, as was calling out for the  _mute guy_ , but he had the feeling that Jade would find a way of saying he was alive, especially with that… "Trigger" thing that made artificial telepathy. If he got out of this, he needed to learn why Jade didn't, or couldn't talk.

He called out again and there was a loud crash, followed by Jade skidding to a halt near him, shoe soles smoking. The other appeared a little singed, and maybe even exasperated, but otherwise was ignoring the fact that he was breathing in smoke, which was thankfully fading a little in the open air. Jade pointed to the clouds in the sky and Sayri followed his finger, watching a large serpentine creature rose into view with a violent shriek.

It screamed again, and the sound was horribly painful. Sayri shivered. "Air...dramon?"

Jade shook his head, clicking his tongue. " _Used to be. What did you_  do  _to him?"_

The "Trigger" gave Jade a very weird voice, choppy and loose like angry ocean waves. Its tone seemed recognizable, but… he couldn't put his finger on why.

Sayri shook his head and stepped to the side at Jade's gesture. "I really don't… know… honest. I just remember…" A twinge in his chest. "Airdramon getting all pissed off for some reason and not really gettin' why…" His brain hurt, like something was chomping at it from the inside. "Not wanting him to do something dumb… but…" He shrugged with a cough. "Big black blur after that."

Jade scuffed his foot, knocking him down from a large fireball. " _You force-triggered an evolution. No wonder he went nuts. Well… nuts-er."_

Sayri grimaced. "I still don't even know what that  _means!_ "

" _Doesn't mean you can't do it anyway."_ Jade spun backwards and raised an arm, water rising from what was probably the molecules in the air but Sayri was barely sure of this stuff when there wasn't a maelstorm of death in the vicinity. It didn't really matter because rocks suddenly pelted them both through the steam. Jade grimaced and Sayri glanced at him. He was happy to not be in a panic right now, but that was only because he was probably so past scared crapping his pants gave way to rational thinking. Maybe.

Or the smoke was making him delirious. How was Jade  _ignoring_ that?

"Um… are we getting out of here any time soon?" Jade shook his head and pale spheres formed near his head, rather like the bubbles that normally accompanied him. They flew forward and met something with a loud  _crash._  This did nothing to douse the fire, and only made Sayri begin to panic. He understood now why Jade was not making any escape plans.

Where were they supposed to run?

_I seriously just left Teri and Ginga to die, didn't I?_

He took a deep breath and exhaled. That was not the best way to think right now. His barely manageable attempt at calm vanished at the sound of laughter. "Are you pelting me with  _glass,_  boy?"

The voice was high over his ears and yet very close, like objects in a car mirror. With it came the sound of a falling grabbed at his shirt and hauled him into the air to avoid it, which almost made them both fall from the sky. Now, large yellow eyes peered at them both through a metal visor.

"Oh," it whispered, the sound still making the crumbling buildings quake. "There you are. I thought you had fled… guess I was wrong." It spread its arms, arms that had some twisted sort of cannons for hands. It would have been cool if they weren't probably going to be used on them. "You up… and vanished… after giving me a taste of power." He licked his fangs. "Not very nice of you."

Sayri stared. "Dude… what happened to you?"  _What did I do to you?_

He wasn't saying there was something wrong with being an even bigger dragon…, but while Airdramon had been a bastard, at least he had been a mildly  _sane_ bastard.

Those yellow eyes didn't look sane to him. They looked beyond the textbook definition of crazy.

"Oh, a little of this and that," it purred. "You gave me so much power, it didn't want to listen…" The smile on his face slowly began to turn like curdled milk. "Then your scent changed while I was quite enjoying it. Aren't we  _friends?"_

Jade jerked Sayri back by his shirt, and as a result, the other almost fell. "What, what the hell are you screwing around with in that head of yours? You hate me! You want to eat me! Don't screw around and say we're friends like that! What the hell is the matter with you?"

"That  _is what is the matter with him,"_ Jade said with a sigh, another pale sphere beginning to form at his fingertips. " _Ya-you forced him to evolve. S' not supposed to work with unsynced feelings, you know, not without some cost. Evolving needs… the same feelin's same goal. He wanted to destroy, you… didn't. That's it."_

Sayri blinked, feeling something tickle at his brain. Something in that voice… it was still tickling at him, but it wasn't something he could solve with-

"Oh  _shit_." Jade pulled him from the line of fire. "Dude, specifics later! Drop me or we both die. We ain't that high! I can find a way out of here!"

Jade gave him a delighted punch to the side as if to say: nope, but thanks for trying.

"Dude, you're crazy too!"

"There's a reason we listen to Erin, and not him," chimed a soft voice.

Teri shot past them like a missile. In her hands were two gleaming axes, one of which she threw at the middle of the dragon's great chest. What was Airdramon roared and Sayri hissed sharply, chest burning. Jade did bring him to the ground now and Sayri hit the concrete and landed on his knees, coughing. He wheezed for breath, red sprinkling in his spit. He yearned for air until the dragon rose up again, and felt the weight on his chest ease.

"The… hell…"

Teri skidded to a halt beside him, and through slightly blurry vision, he saw Teri looked little better than when she had been unconscious. At least he couldn't see her bones anymore. "He's quite mad, isn't he?" She said conversationally. "That Ouroboros. If your feelings didn't match his and did all of this… then how come he had your trinket for you?" She whistled. "Maybe…"

"Maybe you shouldn't be moving," Sayri interjected, not really wanting to care about these logical trains of thought when the speaker should still be unconscious.

"Don't worry about me," Asteria said with a small, shy smile. "That Ouroboros has horrible aim. He missed my vitals."

" _Says the chick with half of her body uglier than a model,"_ Jade muttered, lifting himself into the air again.

Sayri stared at him while Asteria pouted. "Don't be mad, Jade. I have enough trouble telling you and Erin apart as it is." Jade gave a silent cough, but turned back towards the opponent. Asteria smiled, and held up her remaining axe. "Go hide, Sayri. I know you do not want to, but you must. Please."

"Too late!" The dragon's howl was triumphant as he charged towards them. Jade raised his hands and ice formed, which splintered as the visored head crashed into it, cracking but not shattering. It reared back when Teri swung her blade at a scaly arm.

Sayri coughed again as the dragon howled. "Damn you!" it screamed. "Damn you all!"

Teri shook her head. "You won't get him." Her easy tone even grated on Sayri's nerves, but very little seemed to be capable of changing it.

"Why?" screamed the Digimon. "He's just a human, just prey to devour by the weak!"

Teri touched the axe to her chest. "Just because you cast off what you are doesn't mean everyone has."

The dragon laughed and sneered. "That doesn't excuse him!"

Teri snorted. "No one said I was making excuses for him. I'm making explanations for myself." She coughed, blood dripping from her mouth and her already tattered shirt darkening with red. 'Your lack of sense is irritating," she stated flatly, kneeling on one knee.

Sayri, who had not decided to hide, went to go pull her up. "Teri… you're dying over here. You've gotta stop. Okay? Please."

She looked at him, golden eyes suddenly too big and wobbly, too young. "Okay," she agreed, staring at him like an owl.

Sayri moved her to sit on some rubble, with Jade covering them with a sheet of ice. He'd have to ask the guy how this was working later. Setting her to breathe lightly against the wall, he stared up at the dragon. "Why are you so  _angry_ , pirate flag?" he asked, forcing exasperation. "I helped you, gave you all that power and stuff, you said it yourself! What the hell else do you want?"

"You act as if you've given me enough!" the dragon cried, and for a moment, he heard Airdramon in that voice, all falsely gentleman nonchalance and playful rancor. "You act as if your partnership is now ended simply by this, by the one burst of energy from a feeble ant!"

Sayri smirked. "I'm one powerful ant, then."

"You…" it hissed. "You mock me."

That terrifying voice, coupled with the closeness of his breath, should have been enough to silence the human and make him piss himself. But Sayri focused on Teri's short bursts of heavy breathing and shoved that fear away. She spat suddenly, raising her weapon, and the spit was red. Her bright eyes, however, made him grin. Her eyes were that of a defiant little sister.

He could tell her to stop moving, but he couldn't get her to stop fighting.

Sayri then shrugged, looking the monster dead in the face. "Damn straight I am, scrap heap. Why shouldn't I? Look at you, blowin' up the world because you suddenly have the strength, huh? No wonder everyone's givin' you the stink eye! You want more of it? After all this? Do ya?Well, too bad!" He showed him the device. "This pretty little thing… you and I broke it together!"

He saw the dragon's irises dilate, and actually managed a smile. He wasn't afraid, and man, was that stupid. But he didn't care." You said I needed it! So go ahead and eat me already, you great prick! Get that little energy boost!" Sayri spread his arms. "Go on, try it! Get that last boost! And then what? You'll be out. No buzz unless you come over here forever. And yeah, maybe you could eat more humans. But you'd roast them all first! Cause you don't have the patience, right?"

"Shut up…" hissed the Digimon. "Shut up…"

Sayri stared at him, full of wonder. "You're just a selfish bastard, aren't you? All huffy because no one respects you, and then you destroy them before they can try! You laugh at their bodies, right? Because they deserve it. Because those who hurt you must pay, right?"

"Of course!" The screams were now heavy breaths. "It is the only way to never be hurt again!"

Sayri stared at the dragon. The truth looked back at his face, and while he was starting to accept it, he could not voice it. He put a hand to his chest and sighed. "I… I know how you feel man, but… you can't do that. It's… It's not right to hurt people because you're hurt. If I have to accept that, then so do you."

The dragon smiled. "I'm afraid I do not… because I have power."

Sayri shook his head no. "Strong people, powerful people, they don't do that."

"Then I'll be the exception to the oft-broken rule!" The dragon lunged and Jade stopped him, hands surrounded in pink that was dangerously close to red. "You are an exception too, aren't you boy? A monster drenched in red, much like my master…" Laughter burst, and the yellow eyes looked away from Sayri to focus on an unflinching Jade. "You pretend to be so gentle, but I know those eyes. Cold. Monster. You don't forgive. You don't forget. You  _hate_ , don't you?"

Jade's eyes flickered green and Teri wrapped her hand at the hem of Sayri's shirt and tugged feebly. His lips were pressed into a white line but his Trigger gave no voice.

"Don't go far, food!" The Digimon howled. "I want to eat you! And I want this one to watch! How many has he watched die, I wonder? How many has he killed? Tell me, monster! I know whose skin you wear!" The dragon laughed and began to rise into the air. "How many have you and your friends murdered? I heard that girl's laughter when we fought that fool! She laughed. Do you laugh, boy? Do you-"

His words were cut off by gleaming ice spears piercing through his body like cheese.

Jade's eyes remained blue, but the rose aura had spread to engulf his body, bubbling at his feet.

" _I'll laugh at you."_


	13. Rox in the Box

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update will be the 31st.

She was falling again.

Sky, water, it didn't matter, falling was falling. Falling was usually equal to death. That was what happened before. She fell through them both once before, the clouds failing to catch them. The ground was waiting to crush their skin and bones, just as the water gnashed her like a lion.

For her brother, if she recalled, she had done this. She had jumped in the way and taken the sword. Something had changed that day, when she had made that decision, and nobody knew just what that was. She had made someone think that she was a girl that she wasn't. She was not Kayla. She could not be.

She wanted to be Hikari. She wanted to be Tailmon. She wanted to wake up.

Below her was the earth, not the sea. Above her was the world, not the sky.

This time, when she fell, it wouldn't be a deep sleep.

This time she would fly.

Together.

She looked at the clawed hands and touched gently at her white ears. "Tailmon," she whispered. "It's time to fight. Please protect me." At her tail, the golden ring began to glow. "Eden's Dragon,  _howl_."

It was a strange thing to think of a dragon. In that, she thought of an armored man with claws, with a brother who screamed in pain, or of the creature turning the sky over the city red with fire. But the dragon that formed in her closed eyes was pink and feathered, great fangs lunging at the open air.

The idea of that much power in her hands, in anyone's hands, was enough to make her body shake in the open air. Yet her body continued to glow with it, burning up her bones. In it whispered a flat, resigned voice. " _I can't protect you, I can't save you. I failed. If you go into this, I'll lose you again, so please…"_

"It's too late to save me," Hikari said to the air. "So help me instead. Please?" The whisper did not answer, and that was the closest thing to affirmation she realized she would ever receive. The power spun around her and burst, flowing pink and lifting her up to try and hover, golden bands wrapping around both wrists.

"It's not enough, Tailmon!" She was almost shouting, but could anyone hear her in the sky? "Wake  _up_! Please! You are my…"

_Partner? No…_

"You're me!"

The energy climbed over each finger fading to pale purple. Pink gems dug into her palms painlessly and Hikari breathed a small, deep sigh of relief. Pausing one moment to examine the burning part of the city, as little human cars rushed towards the scene, Hikari tutted gently. "You're all mixed up, all of you? I'm sorry about that, but… don't worry, we'll put an end to this, to everything."

It was strange, but at the word "we" she had a tickling in her mind, of seven horrified children, one screaming her name. But it was misty and incomplete. The word "we" brought with it now a slurred voice and strange laughter at the edge of dreams, of soothing leaves and a fire in her chest.

She could call herself that name Takeru-kun had given her all she wanted, she guessed. But Hikari was more than that little dead girl now. She had to prove it now.

With a burst of feathers, she flew towards the smoky sky. Below her, she thought she could hear Erin laughing, laughing and keeping pace with cars that didn't seem to see him.

…

In this statement, Hikari wasn't too far off.

Erin was down below, swimming upstream towards the chaos, but he wasn't laughing. He was shaking his head and muttering words that were probably inappropriate for her to hear in the first place. "Stupid, stupid Jade…" he muttered, dissolving into creative curses again a moment later. "Oi, Ivy, where is he?"

"You mean on the scale of mass murder or actual location?" she muttered with a laugh, raising her hands and forming her staff. She ran just behind him,dodging the crowd with amused ease and a few smart remarks. "Quick to panic, aren't they..?"

Erin snorted, wiping his hair from his face. "They don't exactly have our endurance Ivy," He dashed down a sidestreet. He was only keeping this close because leaving Ivy in a crowd without a plausible direction asked for more broken buildings.  _This city is going to be a ruin when we're through with it._ "Where is he?" He was happy his voice didn't waver repeating that, because an angry Jade was not someone he liked getting in the way of for the last piece of chicken, let alone because some dragon was dumb enough to press one of his carefully sealed in ice berserk buttons.

"In the center, where else?"

Erin whined. "Why does his logic turn off when he's pissed?"

"Because you're usually lacking in sense until you're happy?" Ivy asked, spinning a gust of wind through the smoke. "You sure we should have left Andy with that kid? I don't think he likes us very much."

"Kid's known us two days and he's spent god knows how long up in the sky. Cut him some slack." Erin bit his lip until it bled, taking a deep breath. "Besides, if Andy came along we all know she would join Jade, logic or no." He hopped, and by hopped he meant jumped onto a ledge, and paused against the wall. "And we need Sayri alive."

"You're using his name," Ivy said casually, earning a roll of the eyes. "And why? Why do we need him? No one is explaining  _anything!_ "

"Cause he isn't right, genius." Erin sucked in a breath of clean air before continuing. "Think about it. If he's got a partner… and one of those…  _things_ ," He paused to wince. "Then he should have been up there with everybody else. And he wasn't. He was alone… and then that freaky Ouroboros showed up. If that's a coincidence, then I don't like our odds."

Ivy snorted. "Do you think he can save the world?"

"I'm barely sure  _we_ can save the world. Not gonna stop me from trying."

…

Blood splattered down on to the concrete. To call it dripping would be an insult to the dragon's size and to Jade's power. Great puddles formed on the ground as the dragon crashed into it, the low groan a shockwave all its own.

Jade panted silently, left hand surrounded in pale frost. Sayri stared as the other paused to take a breath before rushing forward and kicking the dragon in its fleshy jaw. It jerked, but that was all, glaring through half-glazed eyes as he tried to lift his head, lunging a claw forward. Jade moved again and kicked a second time. This time, Sayri felt it, like someone had thrown him to somehow land square on his face.

He opened his mouth to speak but Teri grabbed his hand. "He's mad; don't get him to look at you. It's like a mad dog. Erin or Andy can help, but you'll just get him to punch you." She paused. "Well, Andy likes when he goes off."

"She's a little  _off_  herself," Sayri grumbled. "But… what if he kills Airdramon?" To be fair, the dragon wasn't rating high on his list of good people, but at least he didn't deserve to die… did he?

"Megadramon," she corrected in a soft, trembling voice. "And it's better than him killing you.  _Anything_  is better than someone else dying."

Sayri really didn't want to know. "After all I said though, shouldn't I do something? This isn't… it's not right."

"But you can't do  _anything_ ," Teri's breath hitched and she gave him a wide stare. "Stop trying to do things where you  _can't_." Sayri opened his mouth but she continued on, gripping his hand so hard that it hurt. Even as the wound on her face slowly scabbed over before his eyes, and her axe disintegrated at her feet, her hands still felt strong, desperate. "Leave it to Erin, okay? Please. He's strong now." Her fingers shook and she swayed in her seat. Still, Asteria stared at him, eyes pleading. "Trust us."

Sayri hesitated, then gave her a small nod. Her eyes lit up and a solemn smile overtook her face. then the ground rumbled and they both looked to see Megadramon rising up again, looking at Jade. There was no mocking laughter at the edge of his mouth, merely a murderous intent. He threw himself forward and slashed his tail into Jade's chest, knocking the teen and many pieces of debris into one of the few standing buildings. Jade's crash shook the concrete and it began to crumble.

Sayri glanced at Teri, who shook her head. "Jade has the best durability. He's not going to die… I think. Even so…" She sucked in a breath. "Need to think… need to think of something else…" She moved to raise a hand but it fell, limp, against her stomach where blood was starting to soak the thin rags she wore. The girl shifted and then looked at Sayri's limp hand. "The others… they'll be here soon."

"Nobody was following me, though," he argued.  _Probably_.

"Then…" she said, words coming out in a wheeze. "They'll get here faster. Keep me alive... until then. I don't have the strength to apply... pressure right now." Sayri bit back the sarcastic remark and hurried to put his hands down over hers. He wasn't even sure of what he was doing, let alone if he was doing it right, but Asteria gave a lengthy, painful exhale and smiled. Only then did he notice he had put the Digivice right on top of the bloody fabric and pulled it away with a grimace. That stain was never coming out.

She giggled. "I can see it now," she murmured. "I can see what Andy saw." Her other hand was moving to rest over his, sluggish fingers tapping his knuckles. "You're a Chosen Child, you really are. You have that look."

"Teri, shut up, you've lost a lot of blood."

"I'm not gonna die, though," she said, giggling hysterically as there was a loud clang of ice against metal. "I can't die, not now. We can't. But you're a Chosen Child, you have to be. Your eyes have it, that really scared look that's trying to be brave."

"Teri, stop."

"No." Her golden eyes burned as she grinned wider. "You don't get it, of course you don't. This is new to you. It's all, all new to you. I'm sorry, nobody taught you anything, that dragon didn't tell you anything. He probably thought you would run out of uses soon, but you haven't. You understand? You're still important even though your scent is changing."

"Teri!"

"I'm  _okay!_ " she snapped, breathing hard. "Sayri, you need to understand. You  _need_ to. That dragon's going to fly away and you need to understand! He's not  _yours!_ "

At this point, Sayri didn't care who the dragon belonged to; he just wanted Teri to stop talking and do that healing thing that had been working on her face. Because it wasn't working now and the blood was seeping out under his hands. "Teri, you're going to die!"

"No, Sayri. You are."

Erin skidded to a halt beside them as he said these words. Red eyes serious but somehow calmer than they had been all day, he strode forward, confident, and removed the other's hands from his friend's stomach. "Teri, go to sleep." His voice softened. "You need to sleep to heal. Remember?" He brushed a hair from her face, stroking her forehead. "We have sweet dreams waiting for you. Come little one, sleep." He moved his hand to her forehead. "I'm going to use the Alforce program, okay? It's going to be fine." Teri didn't answer, but his hands began to shine anyway, wrapping her in a blue light.

He turned to Sayri. "It should be safe for you to carry her, so…" Erin hesitated, and now Sayri heard it, the severe lack of a slur, of the deep, thick accent that had harried his speech for the entire time they had known each other "Please get her out of here." Sayri didn't speak, but nodded, watching Ivy swoop in out of the corner of his eye. She lifted her staff to blast Megadramon back with electricity, and only succeeded in making him wince.

Sayri hesitated for a moment as Erin pulled Teri from her safe spot, though how safe it really was was debatable. He lifted his Digivice up again, the screen and two of the buttons stained red. "Am… Am I really going to die?" He knelt to let Erin carefully put Teri on his back.  _She's so small… if she's dying then why?_

Erin smiled, a smile that was more reflex than genuine joy. "That's up to you, just like it was up to us. You have two choices Sayri. Be desperate enough to try to die, or fearful enough to want to live. I'm not going to tell you our decision. I'm not going to tell you the consequences. I'm just going to tell you… you're ours. No matter what your decision is. If we bury you or we carry you," he raised a fist. "You're  _ours_ , always."

Sayri gave a shaky laugh, standing back up as carefully as he dared. "Didn't take you to be the emotional type, boss."

Erin chuckled. "I'm not apologizing for it."

"I don't want you to." Sayri peered at the flames. "Don't… uh… don't die, okay? I'm still horribly confused."

Erin laughed, a full-blown light noise that seemed too at odds with the ash in his hair and the way Asteria's blood shined through the light on his hands. "Think I can manage that!" He whistled and Ivy came zipping down, bouncing on air with Jade's wrist firmly in her left hand. "Get out of here before this idiot gives me a heart attack. "

Ivy giggled and Jade scowled. Erin flicked the other's forehead. "I'm cross with you." Then he turned to Megadramon. "Lord help me, you screwed up," he muttered before rushing forward.

Sayri looked anxiously back for a moment before heading on after Ivy. On the inside, he cringed. He was tired of everyone else fighting his battles.

But he wasn't a person who had the strength to fight them.

A hand touched his shoulder and then disappeared, tiny body launching itself easily towards the enemy. If he hadn't seen the flurry of white, he might have brushed it off. But the heavy weight on his shoulder almost knocked him over.

He took a deep breath and chose not to look back.

Like it or not, Erin would handle this… and then beat the shit out of him for letting it get this far.

…

Hikari hovered near Erin's head, trying to figure out exactly what it was she was supposed to do. He didn't look at her immediately, didn't scold her for running into danger so soon. He just held out a hand to the air and said, "Stay behind me. You hit hard I bet, but can't take a hard hit."

"How do you know?"

He chuckled. "You have Teri's stick limbs, princess. Trust me, you will not want that explosion deadset on you." Erin lifted a palm and blue energy spun out and spread in front of him. "Just stay behind me and this, and you'll make it through."

Megadramon roared, the sound making her ears cower like they had minds of their own. Tailmon was aware at least, even if she was going to stay behind her shadow and watch. Hikari could understand. They weren't strong at the moment, so actually attempting to fight this worn-out, big dragon was probably more dangerous than that fall from the building earlier.

The dragon roared again, the sound indecipherable. It seemed like pain. It seemed like agony and a sadness rolled into an ugly ball. Then the noise changed to words, and she immediately wished she couldn't understand him anymore.

"Why do you keep saving him? What use does he have?"

Erin shrugged. "It's none of your business." His hand continued to shine blue and he shot out a burst of energy, shaped in an arrow. "You should go."

Megadramon lunged and Hikari flinched at the loud crunch of metal against energy. Erin raised an eyebrow. "I'm offering you mercy," he said, tapping his knee with his free hand. "You should take it."

"You… feeble…  _imp_!" Megadramon roared and lashed his tail, slashing past the shield towards their backs. Hikari pushed Erin down, the scales ripping into the back of her head as they fell. She cried out in pain, holding back tears. Erin had gone still below her, and for a moment, she thought she had knocked him out cold. Then he shifted, rolling to pull her closer, blue shield raised again to block the lashing of the Digimon's furious tail. "You think you can kill me? You think your tiny body will last if tap your chest with my tail? You offer me mercy! No one, not even my master has-" He stopped, coiling up into the air.

Erin smiled, pulling the two of them to his feet. "What about your master?"

Megadramon hissed. "You… you imp…"

"You're the one with smelly's lack of self-control." Erin gave a crooked smile. "You really think we're going to let you near him again, Ouroboros? You are here to eat him, aren't you? Your own tail? And then eat more and more and kill yourself. And kill us? That's what your master wants, huh?!" Blue and green light wrapped around his skin, red eyes glowing a paler scarlet. "Too bad! Too bad, you damn jerk!"

Hikari jumped back, hands smoking, as the light warped, shifting into the image of a giant dragon around his skin. "No one else is dying. Not him, not me, but you-" Erin laughed. "I'll make an exception.  _Dragon Impulse."_

Erin threw himself into the air as Megadramon launched missiles towards his brain. Hikari stepped back for a moment, then took to the air. She was afraid of what would happen if she left, but she wasn't sure what she could do if she stayed.

But Erin had not sent her back for a reason. She just had to believe and wait to know why.

 _I have to remember this,_ she realized.  _Because Erin isn't going to win. He just… he needs me to see something. Whatever that something is… I need to find it. For that person they're trying to protect._

_Before that person can't come back again._


	14. world end dominator

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, you guys! I'm back! Still editing the earlier chapters, but I sense I'm going to be doing that the entire fic, so eh, that's cool. Glad to be back and see you guys. That first part of the story focused mostly on Sayri, now this next one will be going into the Chimera and the Chosen Children. I think I've edited everything properly for this one at least.
> 
> For the record, first scene did not mean to happen. I also cut one scene to put it separate for something else. It does belong in this story but it messed with the chapter's tone so I moved it to another part. If that seems weird, I'm sorry guys.

When they returned, Andrea didn't wait for them to stop walking before whisking Asteria away in a bridal style carry. Ivy didn't even bother to remove her shoes and dragged Jade along. Jade gave him a sheepish, silent wave. The look in his eyes was dim, but the flare of temper was long gone now. Sayri remained in the doorway clenching his fists. He barely knew enough first-aid to fix his own scrapes. What… what could he do? He looked around. The kitchen was left in a mild disarray, but that kid he had brought back, Takeru, was picking at a plate of food. His expression seemed schooled into careless disinterest, but his eyes flickered between the hallway, Sayri himself, and the creature sitting on the table, munching at a piece of fruit. It waved a paw at him.

"Welcome back," it said. Its voice was boyish and high, but very solemn. "Thanks for keeping an eye on Takeru the other day! If it weren't for you, we'd have been goners."

"Ah…" Sayri struggled for the name. "No problem, uh…"

"Patamon." Takeru was looking at him, blue eyes thoughtful. "He's Patamon now."

"Yeah?" Sayri sat down. "Okay then."

"You all right?" Takeru was sitting ramrod in his chair, Sayri noticed, like he wanted to leave and never come back. Takeru was watching him. "What's it like out there?"

"A fiery mass of doom," he said with a small sigh. "Don't go out there."

"We're safe here?" There was so much disbelief in the boy's words Sayri thought he could physically taste it.

Sayri, in response, shrugged. "I would rather be here, closer to Andrea, than out there, where a giant dragon's burning Odaiba to a crisp." When he had run, he had avoided listening to the screaming, looking towards the ashes and bodies and howling. There was nothing he could do, nothing by himself.

He had even wondered if the others could do anything to stop this.

"And you're not out there?"

"Neither are you. Leave Nii-san be."

Sayri glanced to the other room. The little boy from their apartment was still here, still hugging the egg. His expression held only a spark of the babbling brightness he had seen when Jade had healed his arm. Takeru glanced at him, then away.

"I wish we could do something." His fingers moved to stroke Patamon's head, or what seemed to be his head. "But his Digimon was so much larger than mine and could do more damage."

Sayri winced.  _No kidding_.

The boy swung his legs back and forth. "The scary dinosaur in this egg destroyed my home, a park, my parents… and so many people. And now there's all that flame outside." He patted the egg and went still. "I don't want to do anything if I have to see more of that."

Takeru winced.

Sayri grimaced. Ooh boy. How was he supposed to work around that? Patamon gave Takeru a puzzled look, not hurt, but Sayri thought the critter seemed a little wistful. Then he jumped off the table and fluttered over to the couch, sitting on the other person's head.

The boy looked up. "You're not mine," he said, adjusting the egg.

Patamon shrugged his wings. "Takeru is being a  _butt_ ," he said, glowering. "I'm going to sit here until he stops smelling funny."

Takeru stood in his chair. "Why do you guys keep saying that?" His fingers dug into his palms and Sayri grimaced.  _This was me._

 _Smelling funny?_  Sayri thought of his old smell, of hickory smoke and overripe fruit. It was clear in his mind, though he had only noticed it once. Was this kid's Patamon smelling the same thing on him? Except, like Andrea and the others, he didn't like it. No, he seemed to hate it. But Air-Megadramon had loved it.

That… something about that wasn't right.

"Probably 'cause you do, dude." Erin limped into the room. Sayri pulled a chair out for Erin to collapse into. "It don' make sense, I know, but you  _reek_ man. Ain' quite as bad as this dude used to be," He jerked his thumb at Sayri. "But man, it ain't daisies neither." The slurred words were completely normal, but it seemed different, artificial. "Princess flies like a dream," he added as a girl with white hair filed in after. She was sooty now, ash grey and flushed for air. But her eyes sparkled with what seemed to be delight. "Yer dragon ain't gonna be back for a bit I bet, so rest easy tonight." Erin smirked. "Took a bit more than he could chew, I say."

Sayri nodded, chewing his lip.

"Xavier will be home in an hour. You wanna check on yer folks?"

Sayri nodded again, looking at the scratches and blood littering the other's skin. Erin smirked. "Looks worse than it is. Now… you, kid." He looked at Takeru, who grimaced. "I know you ain't got a clue on what's going on, but newsflash, neither do we. Our family's been hurt and you were up in the sky for a reason. And she," he pointed at the soot-covered girl, who was now leaning over and poking the egg in the other boy's arms. "Was down here for a reason. So," Erin smiled, a predatory little smile that looked kind of scary, like his mom scary. "I think you owe us a couple of explanations. Oh don't worry," he added as the blond opened his mouth. "I will give away anything that might be helpful too, but face facts buck-o. You need us a heckuva lot more than we need you."

Erin went to grab the first-aid kit. "Think on that."

Patamon looked at Takeru, eyes low, then flew back to sit on his head. Takeru absently sat down, scratching him under the chin.

Sayri shifted on his heels.

Xavier couldn't get here any sooner.

* * *

"They can't go to a hospital?"

Xavier nodded, blowing a trail of smoke away from Sayri's face as they walked."Afraid not. They simply heal too quickly and take too much damage for normal doctors to know what to do with. Also, though their system mimics a human's internal organs and nerves, they're more data than anything else. The data is too outlandish to process. I tried checking Asteria for a fever once with a Digital thermometer and Leah nearly electrocuted herself when we tried an X-ray machine on them." Sayri's eyes widened and Xavier smiled. "She's perfectly all right, Sayri-kun, don't worry."

"Ah.. but… who's Leah?"

Xavier smirked, a little mischief there. "My wife, a nurse in England."

"Y-You're-"

Xavier tilted his head a little. "I have a life outside of those children. A wife, two children, a home to return to. Did you think I didn't?"

 _Yes._  "Then, well…" Sayri flushed. "Why are you here?"

Xavier smiled, tugging a little bashfully at his red hair. "Call it atonement, if you will. Also, wife practically pushed me out the door. Believed my presence would be a comfort to them." He laughed. "Has me whipped, that woman."

Sayri smirked at the image, following Xavier down a sidestreet. It was odd, how easily he could trust Xavier not to get him murdered, but considering his situation, there was no one else he could ask, really. "I bet they had something to say about that."

"Actually, I think they appreciated it. Yes, even Erin." Xavier smiled wryly. "If they were bothered by anything, it's likely jealousy of me."

"Jealousy? Over what?"

Xavier only shook his head, a grim edge to his smile. "There are a lot of things that emotionally and physically are incapable of. Relating to people like you and I is one of them."

Sayri smiled grimly. "No kidding."

Xavier patted his shoulder, which was almost demeaning but for his playful nod. "Think a little deeper, Sayri-kun. Think, could an ordinary human's strength and durability survive as long as Teri did, or the blows that Jade did? Think of that implication."

Sayri did, and paled. "Oh."  _Oh._

" _You're ours, no matter what."_

Xavier mussed his hair. "Quite." He stopped walking, standing outside of a small apartment complex, barely the size of a college dorm. "They are living as they are after many exercises of self-control. It surprises me that all of them are willing to test that with you." He smiled. "You've actually managed to shake Ivy a little, and Jade likes you. That's harder to do than you think."

"I would not think that at all," Sayri admitted, shaking his head..

Xavier laughed. "I understand completely. I have one request of you, in light of that." Sayri stiffened. Those were usually words that meant something impossible. Xavier dropped his cigarette and scuffed it out.

He bowed deeply. "Please continue to watch over those children for me."

Sayri gaped openly. "Xavier-san!"

There is very little I can do to assist them at this point in my life and I sense they will be going somewhere I can no longer follow." He sighed, the sound cracked and broken. "I have made my decisions, and I have to live with the results of those decisions, I am afraid there is little more I can do. So I ask again… will you keep an eye on them for me?"

Sayri shifted with discomfort. "Uh… Xavier-san… I… I would really be okay with doing that, just… please, uh… don't bow your head like that. It's… that's way too much respect for me to deserve."

Xavier straightened himself with a small smile. "You are a good lad, Sayri." He gestured to the door. "You ought to head inside. Your family has been thinking the worst."

Sayri flinched. "Ooh boy, I'm screwed. Thank you!" He looked back at Xavier for a moment. "Y'know Xavier-san, after all of that, and for all you're doing, I'd really like to grow up to be a man like you. See you!"

Xavier watched him go and chuckled sadly. "I wish I was half the man you see me as, lad."

He began the walk back, running his fingers over an object in his pocket.

* * *

"Whoa there, buddy boy, is there something on fire in the kitchen?"

Takeru muttered an apology in Ivy's ear as he passed, shifting Patamon in his arm. Out of the ones he had met, he found her the most awkward to get along with. She was like Pinocchimon, all smiles and many tricks. "Don't think so."

Ivy grinned. "Eh…, we'd hear Andy laughing if there was. She loves anything destructive after all." She paused. "This is good timing. I figure Erin won't get around to asking you anything until Jade isn't being a right prat of himself over there. So…" Ivy turned to squint at him, blue eyes nearly purple. "You're a Chosen Child, right?"

Takeru nodded slowly. "I'm pretty sure of that." He stroked one of Patamon's ears.

"So you were supposed to be fixing what's wrong with the sky, neh?"

Takeru shifted slowly. "Yeah…?" He was was starting not to like this.

Ivy nodded. "What did you do or not do to cause that?" She pointed out the window.

Takeru grimaced, bristling. "That… it wasn't like that."

Ivy gave a theatrical sigh. "Then what was it like? We're out of the loop, you know! We need to know what we're going to kill, if it left Teri like that." Ivy sighed. "You were there, you know. If anyone would know anything useful, it would be you. If you tell us now, we can start thinking of countermeasures to kill them."

"It's not  _your job_  to kill them," Takeru said with a stiff scowl and shake of his head. "It's ours, the Chosen Children's." Ivy frowned and Takeru took a secret pleasure in that. "Teri-san was very powerful, but… but Pinocchimon had a better shot. I saw the fight."

"Teri ended up that way because she was protecting  _you,_ " Ivy said, bristling herself now. "And if it was your  _job_ , I can see why it didn't go  _well_ , right?" Her eyes flickered towards the kitchen, and Takeru followed them. Hikari was in there, beaming at Andrea for some, unknown reason.

He shuddered despite himself. He remembered that, a person dropping like a stone, red falling like rain. She remembered Taichi's face, harsh and unforgiving, covered by tendrils of an orange almost red, and his hand slipping through his brother's fingers.

She was right. They had not done their job.

Ivy watched his eyes, then sighed. "My bad, I pushed a button." Her voice seemed sincere but it never seemed anything else. "Let's cool our heads and talk later, kay?" Before he could call her back, Ivy disappeared into another room, door shutting with a soft  _thud_. He stared for a moment and sighed. "What's wrong with me, Patamon?"

Patamon nuzzled him, making no reply.

"I… I feel like Onii-chan. Will I… we… be able to make a difference if we go?"

Patamon placed a paw on Takeru's chest, where the golden Crest of Hope lay. "I think so Takeru," he said with a tiny smile. "And so do you."

Takeru looked at the Tag and sighed. "I don't know."

"Yeah, you do." Erin left the room Ivy had been in. He wasn't grinning now, but he seemed more relaxed nevertheless. "You wouldn't be saying all that stuff if you didn't know, but…" he smiled and pet Patamon's head. "If you don't wanna go, you don't have to."

"But…" Takeru grimaced. "But I have to. The others, my friends…"

"The way you are now,nobody would blame you."

Takeru scuffed his foot. " _I_ would blame me."

Erin smirked. "Then that's your answer."

Takeru hesitated, then smiled. "Yeah… thanks."

A shrug. "Just going my job. Now, can you give me a hand? Gotta fortify this place and move people around."

Takeru blinked, then nodded. "Okay!"

He released Patamon to fly after him, then paused, closing his eyes.  _I hope you and the others are safe, Onii-chan, wherever you are._

* * *

Yamato crawled weakly with his arms. Under his skin, the sand slipped, wet and cold. He struggled to move his feet, but they remained barely responsive, heavy and barely scrabbling forward. He coughed, blowing his blond hair out of his face. He forced his arms onward, ignoring the way they screamed. He knew where Takeru was… or at least… where he  _should_  be.

"Takeru," he croaked. "Where… are you…?" He threw himself forward and out of the water, gasping for air and rolling onto his back.

Something had happened to the prison. They had all been wasting away in there when it had suddenly trembled like a rock slide. Then,when it had ended, his cell had been abandoned.

Now, in the open, salty air, Yamato had the reasoning to wonder  _why_.

Once he could breathe easily again, he pulled himself into a sitting position. "What… what happened to the forest?" He watched in dazed silence as blue and grey waves slid against each other, the sand sinking around his fingers. He sighed low, an exhale more than an expression of emotion.

"Did something happen to Pinocchimon?"

"Indeed."

Yamato whipped around to glare at a familiar clown, spinning sword in hand. "You?"

Piemon smiled. "Such a clear, intelligent response."

"Get out of here, you bastard!" Yamato snapped. His anger was overriding his common sense but what did he care? There was nothing he could do like this anyway. He hadn't been angry in so long, upset certainly, but not this enraged. "Haven't you screwed up enough?" This was stupid, he was alone, not even his partner was here. And what did Piemon care? He was a  _Dark Master_ , he could flick Yamato and kill him.

Wait, why  _hadn't_ he?

"I've only fulfilled my duty," the clown said, resheathing his sword. "I have brought a new form of entertainment to the world!"

"Yeah, you see us laughing!" "Taichi is laughing at Hikari-chan's grave right now.! Takeru's having a blast with that freak of a puppet of yours! Look how much fun we're having!"

Piemon frowned, like he had a sour candy in his mouth. "It's a shame so few people appreciate my sense of humor."

"Screw you." Yamato turned away. "What are you here  _for_ anyway? It's not like I can  _stop_ you."

"True." Piemon shrugged. "Pinocchimon died so I thought it would be interesting to see what his successor did with his place." He smiled at the beach. "Our jailor certainly moves quickly."

"Where's Takeru?"

Piemon laughed. "Is it my business?"

Yamato hissed. "I will  _make_  it my business."

"With what? Your feeble human hands?" The clown smiled, grotesque and theatric. He held out a handkerchief. "Or perhaps…" He tossed it into the air and let it fall and Yamato watched it expand to the size of a large picnic blanket, one for a family of giants. "You would use this." Pulling it from the ground, a black mass rose with it.

Yamato started scooting back, wide-eyed. Piemon smiled. "Didn't you ever wonder what we did with your partners while you were in the sea? Left them alone? Killed them? The second was tempting."

Yamato choked as the mass grew larger and more defined, metallic paws replacing blobs of sand, a robotic snout sniffing disdainfully at his face.

"Metal… Garurumon?" Yamato croaked.

"Not quite," Piemon replied with a smile.

The wolf howled, and the sand turned to ice.


	15. Dearest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This would have been up... a while ago, but I got a call that lasted almost three hours. It was fun though!  
> Notes at the bottom for this chapter. The action's going to start picking up even more so next chapter. But this is groundwork and groundwork is incredibly necessary.

"Cub, come hither."

Sayri suppressed a snort and rose from the battered couch. Somehow, in the chaos, his mother had managed to snatch a few treasured heirlooms from the collapsing building and her wallet. He really wondered how he had managed to hide them as long as she did to make it to this temporary home. Then again, he supposed it was just one of his mother's many skills. He followed her into the small room, fingering the broken Digivice in his pocket. "What is it, mum?" Not that he was complaining about leaving whatever his father was making political commentary on now.

"You're going back with those children, aren't you?" Though she seemed to be busying herself with what was there, something in his mother's voice didn't sound quite as confident as she usually was.

Sayri scratched his head. "Well," he began, toying with his pendant. "I'd like to… but… they were all hurt pretty badly earlier today… I'd rather not be in the way."

His mother gave him a dismissive wave. "If you were in the way, I'm certain they would tell you." Sayri grinned. At least Ivy would. "Regardless, they will get you when they have to." Her voice softened. "When their cause calls them..."

"Mum...?" He watched her stocky fingers pull a thin, golden necklace from her neck, and a long book from behind her pillow. "A photo album?"

She nodded and sat down, motioning for him to join her. "Your pendant, cub." Clumsily, he removed it and dropped it to her waiting palm. "I was going to wait until your last year of homeschooling... but the way things are going... I feel there is no better time than now. A very..." she sighed. "A very good friend... gave me this for my birthday." Sayri watched her eyes mist and she wiped them with one thumb. "It has been a while since I thought of her. But before that..." She reached out and clasped the necklace around his neck, leaving the hawk to dangle gently at his collarbone. "There we are."

"Thuh-Thanks..." Somehow, he expected a bit more flair, but... he knew his mother wouldn't give up a gift that made her cry that easily.

"For years now, I have had a small...  _fixation_ with the circumstances of missing person cases."

"Really?" He had never seen a hint of that.

His mother gave a mirthless smile. "Your father finds it depressing." She opened the album now and showed him a newspaper clip. "Does this one look familiar to you?"

He took it carefully from the pocket and looked at the grainy lines. "' _The Night We Nearly Blew Away'..._  Seventeen die as 100 mph hurricane blasts across Britain... (1) on October 15th, 1987." Sayri glanced at her. His mother pointed to a small collection of pictures.  _Oh... she meant here... at the list of dead... wait._

Ivinci Salem, twelve years old.

Ivinci.

Ivy.

"Mum, is... are there pictures?" He had to confirm it, had to be sure.

She sighed. "You'd be hard-pressed to find them at the moment, when we have no computer. They showed images on the news when it aired. That said... I asked Roku's friend Hiroaki if he had any ideas... and he produced this." She offered a small, color picture and Sayri took it. His heartbeat, for some reason, seemed extraordinarily loud.

The hair was parted halfway down the middle, face young and lightly curved, bright eyes peering out of dark skin. Black hair, even a little scraggly, but even without that, there was no mistaking that carefree mischief in that smile.

"Ivy..." He said softly.

His mother watched him. "Perhaps I should leave the rest for another time."

Sayri wanted to say yes, to ponder what it all could mean, but shook his head. There's no way it could get any worse. "N-No. There might not be another time."

Winona sighed gently, returning the clipping. "As you say, there might not be. Very well."

There was a knock at the door. "Mum?"

"Come in."

Dakota peered into the room, eyes wide and nervous. She had been following Sayri the entire time he was home. "Da and Haru-nii are going to get Teru-nii. Can I come in here?"

"Hmm..." The woman sighed playfully, brushing her hair from her face. "Do you mind hearing stories about your old mum?"

Sayri managed a laugh. "You're not that old."

"Tell that to my greying hairs, cub."

Dakota wrinkled her nose. "This isn't a story about how you and dad fell in love, is it?"

Sayri coughed, turning red as his mother laughed. "You both are a bit too young for that." Dakota sniffed and slowly entered the room. Only when she was settled with her back against Sayri's legs did their mother speak again. "Years ago, before I even thought of your father, before I moved here even, I was one of the many who protested the Vietnam War."

Well. That was an interesting image to think about.

"To be honest, it should not have met much to me, as the suffering of my blood, my fellow Sioux, should have. But, even so, my mother and father, both for their own reasons, raised me against war, against the pain of war. They were young when World War Two began and barely aged when it ended. I'm sure that tells you everything."

Sayri nodded once, patting Dakota's hair to keep her quiet. P.O.W camps, mistreatment, inequality. America did it as well as any other free land. But that wasn't why his mother had said that.

Besides, Dakota was young. A kid could know discrimination, but there wasn't a way to explain beyond bullying how far it could go, not now.  _Aren't we lucky?_

He wondered what it must be like for the Chimaera, for Ivy who had seemed so confused by their neighbors, for Jade to get so angry at Megadramon he didn't try to be kind anymore, for them to be with Mr. Xavier at all.

He thought of the newspaper clipping, and then back to his mother.

"Being the woman I was, as sensitive and wild as the pair of you combined, I had to do something, even if my parents insisted I do nothing. I went to rallies, created flyers, all manners of things. There were riots, violent ones sometimes, and the people loud, but I had never felt so alive, so useful, so  _free_."

Sayri tried to imagine his small, stock mother so wild, and failed.

Winona looked at their cracked ceiling. "I got into quite a bit of trouble at the time. So my parents forced me to tutor a middle school girl, hoping I would be less capable in finding my way into trouble. Guess how well it worked."

Dakota muffled giggles.

Winona smiled. "Exactly. The girl... she was a very bright individual, though she could never put her sentences properly. Always came off a bit too blunt or even silly. That said, she was creative, kind, sometimes a bit too headstrong in getting what she wanted, a good, very good friend. I didn't think she needed a tutor, if I hadn't seen her scores."

She paused and took a deep, slow breath. Her hands knotted into fists and she forced her fingers apart. "My dear friend was bullied. Badly. I never saw her with a book that wasn't ripped or faded from puddles, or a patchless backpack."

Sayri grimaced. That... wasn't surprising.

His mother turned to a page of the album and pointed to a thin, frowning man, his arms resting on the desk. "Her father."

Sayri examined it, noting nothing special until he examined the right arm. Numbers were tattooed down his arm.

He sucked in a breath. " _Why_?" He had so many  _whys_ in that one word that he didn't think he could hold them all.

Winona shrugged. "Because children can be cruel about what they don't understand. Sayri, Dakota, this is something I wish you didn't need to know, but when you get older, you must realize: children are cruel because adults don't know how to teach kindness and understanding. Because it is easier to teach a child to be angry and afraid than let them learn humility and love. Because adults are usually very frightened of being wrong, and not understanding the unknown."

A rueful smile. "I can say they are hard lessons to learn. She, however, forgave them like it was something anyone could do." She took the album back. "Sometimes, I would tell her what I was doing. She would never join me, but once in a while there would be a water bottle in my bag after lessons that wasn't there when we began, or a carefully hidden pack of pens, or lemon drops."

"One day, about a year after we had met, I was late coming home, for the news had run long, and she had cancelled a session. I had thought little of it, really." Winona turned another page, almost ripping the tape over a photograph. "I should have." She fell silent, taking slow, heaving breaths.

The silence grew painful after five minutes, painful enough that Dakota crawled to place her hands on their mother's arm. She felt her older body shake heavily, shaking for sobs that would not come.

"She... always loved to run. I would... see her some days... lost in the wind... but not then. No... that day I found her in the park, dying, with pieces of the nearby fountain in her legs."

Sayri wanted to reach for his mother's hand, but the look in her eyes protested, and he let her gather herself.

"I was lucky to have found her when I did. Moments later... there would have been no way to reach an ambulance. I managed to reach her father, and let me tell you, not even Roku has frightened me as much as her father did that day. If she hadn't been so hurt as she was, I fear he would have committed a great deal of murder then. I still never knew who did it, and I don't know what I would do if I did."

"What... did you do then?" Dakota's rapt eyes on her caused the woman to smile.

She mussed her daughter's hair as she answered. "I stopped really listening to the news, and devoted myself to seeing her walk again. Somehow, the outside world had lost its appeal. After a long therapy, she was set to be released on her fifteenth birthday. She wanted me to get her, so she could surprise her father."

"But when I went to visit her that day, there had been a strange power outage. And during that outage, she had disappeared." Their mother sighed. "I never saw her again."

She pulled out one last photo for Sayri to see. "We took that the day before she was supposed to go home."

Next to a short woman with a pair of twin braids, who Sayri assumed to be his mother, was a teenager with brown hair and a shy, nervous smile.

It was a young Andrea.

"I tended to call her Andy, too," his mother said, wiping her eyes.

* * *

Andrea shut the door quietly, giving Erin a quiet, toothless smile. "He's awake now, if you want to talk to him."

Erin made a soft noise of dissent. "Is it okay if I hit him instead?" He fiddled with the desk lamp. "He worried me, Andy. I thought, well..."His cheeks colored. "Y'know exactly what I thought."

She kissed his forehead. "I do, silly one." Erin rolled his eyes, smothering a smile. Andrea always used the right words for them, always. "He's quite grumpy, so keep your voice down at least. For Teri too, in the other room."

"How is she?"

Andrea sighed, tossing the used bandages into the garbage. "Most of the damage is internal, no matter what she must had said to our friend. Your program is doing as best as it can, but there's only so much our bodies can do naturally. She needs more time."

"Time we don't have," Erin said, clasping his hands together like he was wringing them. "I didn't kill that guy."

"You hesitated," Andrea accused lightly.

Erin rolled his eyes. "Yes, my little saber can hit something the size of ten RVs with missile launchers for hands and armor over any decent part of its body. Asteria had gotten all of the fun parts. I'm not you, Andy."

Andrea laughed. "Point well-taken. Go talk to Jade while I prep dinner."

"Don't burn the house down," Erin retorted, slipping into the other room. The room wasn't chilly, but puffs of cold air left Jade's lips, perfectly visible. "Still sulking, are ya Jade?"

Jade rolled onto his side away from Erin, smacking his pillow with a free fist.

Erin scowled. "Oh, don't you be in a twist 'cuz of how I yap!" He sat on the nearby stool. "Took it from you and yer graceless yipping voice didn't I?"

Jade made no move to answer.

Erin brushed a strand of Jade's pink hair behind his ear. "All right," he said softly. "I'll stop now." Jade didn't turn still. "Hey, look at me."

A scrabbling of three fingers.

Erin sighed. "I'm not mad. You're just stupid."

Jade rolled over, pouting. His fingers danced at the sheets like he was typing, only to stop, seconds later, fingers twitching. Erin gently lifted one hand and planted it firmly against the sheets.

"You don't have to do all of that." He knelt at the bedside now. "Sayri gave me the gist, you silly hypocrite."

Jade touched Erin's palm with his nails.

"You  _did_ laugh," Erin reminded him. "We all did, once. Then it stopped being funny. It's okay to laugh sometimes. We can't cry about it. So don't worry about it." Jade took his hand and yanked, almost slamming him into the side of the bed. "What do you mean, 'that isn't what I want to hear.'?" Jade tugged again. "Oh no, mister, you need rest. Someone needs to work on Teri tomorrow and clearly it's not going to be me."

One more tug.

Erin sighed. "Fine. Just until you fall asleep."

Jade made the choking noise from his throat as he scooted over, letting Erin curl himself against the other's spine. "You are so touchy-feely sometimes."

Jade hummed hard enough for Erin to feel it. "Are you purring?"

Andrea smiled and shut the door.

* * *

"Hey~! Did that bag take your lunch money?"

Sayri jumped, smacking his leg against the sandbag and almost toppling over, instead hopping at the pain in his foot. "Ivy,  _timing_! I could have hurt myself really badly!"

Ivy grinned, looking unapologetic. "I tried! You were thinking too hard!"

 _Thinking about you._ And Andy, and what that meant about everyone else. As well as venting into a punching bag because he had nothing better to do with his time. he wanted to ask her about it, but...at the moment, he remembered, the others, the Chimaera, didn't do anything without a reason.

But he had to play along with Ivy, at least a little. She was always fun. "I didn't know you thought much at all," he teased.

"Hey~" Ivy laughed. "You're right! I don't!" She trotted over to plop on the practice mat, Sayri joining her to not be such a looming weirdo. "Teri's healing. It's slow but she got really, really bad with whatever set her on fire. Without Jade, I'm surprised it's going so well."

Sayri grimaced. "Do you… know what happened?"

"Not down to who fired what shot where, but according to that kid, Takeru, she went up against some strong Digimon called a Dark Master or something. She probably went berserk and didn't pay much attention to what she was doing, because if she did, she would have been running because she normally can't fight."

"Your Ouroboros helped, we think, if unintentionally. Cause he was that kind of crazy that just doesn't care, you know. Though he probably hit her too." Seeing Sayri flinching, she rolled her eyes. "He has missile claws. I would be scared if he missed."

"Ehehe..." So true.

"Even so..., " he said quietly. "He's not going to leave me alone easily." Ivy shook her head. "Why?"

"For the same reason that critter, Patamon, is protecting Takeru, whether he admits it or not. That dragon may not be anything on the right side of helpful, but for whatever reason, you two have a link and he wants to keep it." Ivy pulled a bag of sunflower seeds from one tattered jean pocket and popped one into her mouth. "Because it's power. It's not so much that you're special or something, because being special really isn't that special. It's just something that someone's got sometimes."

"Like you guys?" The words slipped out without too much thought and he instantly wanted to take them back.

Ivy smiled. "You got it!"

"I'm pretty sure he hates me though," Sayri noted to no one.

Ivy gave him a mocking giggle. "No one said being special was always  _healthy_." She flopped herself down onto his lap. "What you do with it is up to you, you know."

He flushed. "Way to kill the mood. Off please."

"Why? Men lay in women's laps all the time."

"Ye-es," Sayri drawled. "But you have a heavy head. Do you have rocks in there?"

"All of them are from your head," she retorted, rising up to kiss his chin. He sputtered, face turning a darker shade of red.

"I-Ivy!"

"What?" she asked, looking puzzled. "It wasn't even your face!"

He groaned. "Are you high?"

"A practitioner of polyamory actually. Andy's better."

"I did  _not_ need to know that," he grumbled. It wasn't even that big of a deal, really, except that Ivy took it like it was nothing all that exciting. That was just weird. But she was nuts, they all were nuts.

Strangely enough… he was kind of okay with that.

Ivy stretched and sat up. "I better go before dinner gets burned without my help. I'll see you tomorrow, Sayri!"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yep!" She grinned. "Tomorrow night… you need to decide if you want to live with courage or die with desperation. Think hard, okay?"

She took a step and disappeared.

Sayri flopped back against the practice mat a moment later. "I need new friends."

He had forgotten to ask about the newspaper, or about anything… but did he want to know?

* * *

She punched the air, hard enough to feel the air shift. Another punch, then a kick followed. Hikari narrowed her eyes and swung, white fire bursting from her fist. She looked down at her hands, wide-eyed. "Wow…"

"Good description, my dear… but you need to work on your hands."

She turned. Andrea, her mind recognized. Kind person, good person. A mother who couldn't birth, a mother who could kill. Yes, part of the team, part of the pack, part of  _us_ , whoever  _us_ was, she was one of  _ours_. Her mind, in its near-state of focus, relaxed. She watched the woman move, the epitome of bestial grace and savagery, placing down a knife and a first aid kit. "Would you like to try again?"

Hikari gave a mute nod, turning to face her.

"Life your hands," Andrea instructed. "You have too many weak spots showing. One foot back, show less forward.  _That's_ it. Now try."

Hikari stepped forward with her back foot, swinging with her fist. Andrea sidestepped the blow easily. Over reached, the little girl stumbled and fell onto her stomach. It didn't hurt, she noticed, though the dirt dusted her clothes.

"Digimon durability, though varying in strength, is a wonderful thing." Andrea slid into her own stance, cracking her knuckles. "Knowing this… continue?"

Tailmon, for some reason, whispered no. Hikari did not. "Yes!" Her instant answer was followed by a simple, though likely rude, question. "You love to fight, don't you?"

Andrea smiled. "Someone must." Hikari pushed forward, punching right, to be pushed aside. "Or nothing would get done. Balance, my dear. Always balance." Hikari leaped towards Andrea's head, only to be blocked and yanked from the air and swung down to the ground. Hikari kicked the other's wrist and escaped, rolling to stand again. "I used to be the opposite, once."

"Why did you stop?" she asked, standing up.

The woman laughed. "Truth be told, I can't remember. Nor do I wish to. I'll learn of it when I need to, and no earlier. We lost the memories for a reason. I find it best to not force things anymore." She gave Hikari a wink. "Correct?"

"Yes," Hikari agreed gently, looking at her fists.

If her old self was really that important, like Takeru-kun thought, she would know by now. Until then… this self was herself.

And she could accept that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Just giving this little note to say, yes, the Great Storm of 1987 actually did happen. Seventeen people died in the UK, it's considered one of the worst storms to have hit the area. It also hit France. There was a lot of property damage, power outages, and it was predicted wrongly by the BBC. For more specific information, please drop me a PM. Ivy is not a real person, though! That said, all of the historical events represented in here were researched to the best of my ability. If you think I am wrong or want information, please review and/or PM me! I'll be happy to chat! The same goes for anything else. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and please drop a comment down below! Bye!


	16. Despair of Recollections

"Takeru! Takeru!"

"Mmph…" He groaned. "What is it?" The boy rolled over and found one of Patamon's black paws placed on his nose. Takeru sneezed and opened his eyes. "What… what's wrong?"

The Digimon shifted on his paws, wings flapping nervously. "The sky, Takeru! Pinocchimon's forest is gone from the sky! It's all grey over there now!" His voice was a whisper, but the panic was clear enough to convince Takeru to roll out of bed and hurry to the nearby window. He mumbled softly, rubbing his eyes to wake up faster. He passed Hikari's form curled on a nearby cushion, comfortable as a cat could be.

… Did that mean her  _bones_ were cat bones now? That would be weird.

He slowed his steps to not wake her, even as her ears twitched in her sleep. Takeru wriggled himself up on the windowsill and gaped. "What the heck is that?"

Above him, where he remembered vivid, ugly greenery, sloshed a grey substance. It frothed at the surface, clashing against the clear blue of the ocean next to it. It ran up the peak of mountain they all called Spiral Mountain, a solid mass of cold like steel. Patamon tugged him back down from the windowsill but Takeru remained awake and still.

"What… what do you think happened to Pinocchimon?" Takeru ran his fingers down his cheek in agitation. Was he dead? He couldn't be… what could kill him? The only ones who could were… well, it wasn't possible…

Takeru looked at his small fists, at his silent Crest. "I wanted to do it…"

That wasn't the right thing to think… but it was the truth. He had to tell himself. He had wanted to kill Pinocchimon… and he had no clue what he was going to face in his place. Patamon rested himself on the boy's head, nuzzling closer. He doubted he could distract his partner now, and decided to watch Tail-Hikari-chan, he corrected himself- instead. Her tail swished, and to him it seemed a little less so than usual, the ears smaller. She shivered in her sleep and a strangled cry left her lips. Patamon tugged at Takeru's hair.

The boy had been watching, and pulled himself to his feet as Hikari screamed, uncurling from sleep and kicking wildly at the air. She writhed, hands flying up to grip her head and form flickering as grey as the sea above. Her nails lengthened, digging into her skin until fat drops of red oozed from beneath her sharper fingers. Takeru hurried to grab one of her arms. "Hikari-chan, stop, you're hurting yourself!"

Patamon shifted. "I'll wake up the others!"

Takeru doubted these people would sleep through this but he was too busy yanking at Hikari's arms to care. Her grip was like metal! "Hikari-chan, stop!"

If she heard him, she must have ignored him because she whimpered. "It's in my head…" Her eyes flashed open and they winked between red and blue and grey. "Get it out, Takeru-kun! Please…"

"What is it?" He let go for a moment, stepping back towards the nearby table. As he did, there was a very audible splash where his foot had been. Grabbing his Digivice, Takeru made the mistake of looking down. His socks were now drenched in grey water, frigid liquid making him shiver and drop the device, which hit the water with an audible splashing noise.

Hikari screamed again, and he couldn't think about it any further, turning to yank at her arm again. "HIkari-chan, what can I do?"

"Hold tight, lad." Andrea had thrown the door fully open. She strode in as the water rushed fully out of the room. The look in her eyes burned, and she didn't hesitate to scoop the device from under the water and clip it to Takeru's shorts. "No time for explanations we don't have. We-ah." She moved to pull her arm away but it remained there, stubbornly stuck to the screen. Her eyes narrowed and she shouted over Hikari's increasing wails. "Ivy! Get Blutwich!"

At the doorway, Ivy shifted from foot to foot, pajamas almost tripping her up. "Andy, you can't regen-"

" _Ivinci!"_

Ivy eeped and jumped to, bolting back down the hallway, Patamon flying past towards another door. Ivy returned not even a minute later, tossing the knife with a haphazard throw. Andrea caught it by the blade, letting its teeth sink into her palm and drink. The blade extended and grew, allowing her to grasp it by the hilt. Takeru barely grimaced until she raised the blade over her caught arm.

"Wait-"

A white light burst from Hikari's chest, engulfing the three of them before Andrea could slice down. Ivy lunged forward, but the energy threw her back against the wall, almost causing the young woman to bite her tongue.

Patamon had made it back to the room when the light had vanished, only moments after Ivy had forced herself fully conscious. "Where's Takeru?" He whispered, before watching the water dry rapidly like it was sinking. "No… where did it take them?" He caught a glimpse of Ivy and wrapped his front paws around her wrist. "Here… lemme help!" Not that he could do much, but he had to do something.

He couldn't focus on how he failed Takeru again. He couldn't. He had to be strong… to find him and protect and tear him from anyone who wanted to hurt him. He had to bring takeru back to his home for good, like they had all promised to do. Maybe then Takeru would be himself again and his scent would go back to normal.

Patamon had to believe that.

He flapped his wings after ivy as she hurried to where Erin was. He was helping Jade back to his feet. Must have passed out helping that really hurt girl, the one who had helped him fight Pinocchimon. He didn't remember her name yet but he didn't think it mattered, focusing on matching her quick pace and looking at ivy's completely crestfallen expression.

 _She needs a partner,_ he couldn't help but think. These humans all did really, all of them needed a voice to help them feel better and understand each other. He knew that they were around somewhere too, somewhere that they couldn't speak that loudly or pat their partner's chests and say they were going to be okay or that they were allowed to be sad.

But these needed that. Patamon could feel it. They needed it so, so badly and no one gave them that but that sleeping man and each other. That wasn't enough.

Erin regarded Ivy with a critical eye, then his expression softened. Patamon found that expression fit his face better, like glaring was not supposed to be natural on that face.

Ivy seemed not to notice or maybe even didn't care because her whole body shook, trembling like she was going to break. "Help Jade get up," she said in a voice that was trying to stay strong and together. "I need Jade's help. The Princess and that kid and Andy got sucked up and I can't find them by myself and I don't know where to start look-"

Erin pulled her into a hug. " _Breathe_ , Ivinci," he said quietly. "Slower now, much slower.' Patamon watched the red eyes turn to him, dull, questioning. Patamon shook his head, not knowing how to put it to words any better.

Ivy hiccupped. "The grey place took Andy."  _Again._  She knew she shouldn't be so upset but a few minutes meant days and days in that place or was it hours, who cared, it was  _time_  and time wasn't supposed to be this out of sync and so long or far apart.

The hand at her scalp tensed, then relaxed again. "We're different now, Ivy. We'll save her."

"And the world?"

" _Our_ world comes first," Erin said simply, kissing her forehead with a delicate smile. "I won't make that mistake again. Go get Sayri. We need to bustle Xavier and the kid out of here."

"We're bringing him along?" Ivy said with incredulity. Sure, he was a little more interesting than she had thought, but he had- "What about the Ouroboros? Won't it chase him?"

"He won't let it come near us," Erin said quietly. "Not now. You know he'll make his choice." Ivy pursed her lips, and Erin added. "We can't just leave him alone or one of us here and you know it. Scat!"

Ivy turned on her heel and left. Patamon, with visible reluctance, flew to perch himself on Erin's head. It was soft, even a bit comfortable, but it was not Takeru's head. "What should I do," he asked softly.

The Digimon had wanted to panic and fracture like that girl, but he couldn't afford to do it. Patamon was used to these things by now. Pinocchimon had made him watch many of the 'games' when Takeru wasn't aware. His wings ached at the memory of what happened when he looked away. So, like then, he looked away.

He would be strong.

Erin regarded him beneath his bangs, then pulled him off to rest the mammal in his arms. "That's not your partner's head," he said in a low murmur. "Don't try to replace me now."

Patamon winced. He may have been more upset than he thought. "Sorry."

"It's all right, you're lonely."

"You guys are too."

Erin looked at him, and Patamon got the impression no one had looked at him, any of them really, with the ability to point that out to him. He grinned. "That one is always with me." He placed his other hand over his chest. "I-all of us, we're never lonely."

"Why are they there?"  _Like Tailmon...Hikari-chan..._ Patamon sniffed. They had no smell, none of them did really. It wasn't like people who smelled crisp, but it was like scents that mixed and canceled each other out.

The boy smiled and whispered the answer in Patamon's ear. Patamon thought about it in silence for a moment. "Oh…"

Jade had pulled himself under Erin's watchful eye, hands glowing near Teri's body once more. "Don't worry…" he said. "We won't let that happen to yours."

Patamon nodded. Takeru was hurt badly, but… he didn't need that.

He didn't even think these people had needed  _that_.

Ivy lowered her hand from the apartment door. Sometimes she hated being so darn honest. She wasn't sure what to do so she wasn't doing it even though rationally she knew she had to do it because Erin said so and though he was a tsundere prick most of the time, he was usually right on what had to be done and Ivy had never been the type of person to think before acting.

… She didn't even  _like_ Sayri all that much.

But he was a human… and he had a place to return to.

She rested her head against the door.  _None of us have anywhere to return to._ That was why having Andy was so important, why having everyone was important.

Was that why Andy and Jade were so devoted to keeping him alive, why Teri decided to protect him? Because people would be sad if he was gone, and that was too much sadness, too much loss all over again. Only Xavier would miss them if they were gone… and even that was… special.

_Then why get him?_

She really hated thinking.

It would be better to hide him here on Earth, so the Ouroboros would have to hunt the thing was crazy, it had practically said that on its own. It probably wouldn't care if Sayri was with his family or not he would do what he liked anyway… and then if he even survived that…

There would be no one to say to him-

" _Hey, you're back!"_

" _Welcome home!"_

Ivy turned and left the building, flying to where the thought the right balcony was. If Sayri stayed here, he would definitely get attacked and burned and eaten and-

" _Run, you guys! I can hold them off!"_

It suddenly became very hard to breathe until she touched down again, able to see Sayri and his siblings in a pile of sleeping bags. She reached for the handle and shook her head. There was no real need to break the door.

So she tapped the screen instead.

_I have to doom this human. For Andy. For everyone._

Sayri could hope he was dreaming, but he wasn't going to get his hopes up. Not now, anyway. it wasn't like he could just magically dream up  _Ivy_ of all people.

Well, he could, but that was a very different kind of dream that he had no business thinking about.

Dakota was peering at him from above, before looking towards the window. Sayri sleepily pulled himself to this feet. "It's gotta be the apocalypse or she would not be here this early. Dakota however, latched onto his leg. "Dakota, off."

"She's going to take you away."

 _I don't doubt that_. He looked at Ivy's face, as much as he could see of it in the shadow of the lack of streetlights.  _Is she…?_ "All the more reason for me to see why. Let  _go_ , sis, before you have me wake up those two and her break that door." He pulled his leg out and hurried to open the door. Warm summer air washed over his skin as he shut the door behind him.  _Holy crap._

"Ivy… are you  _crying_?"

"You want to m-make something of it?" she said with a hiccup.

Sayri flushed. God, he was bad with girls. "Well, um, you've never seemed all that teary, you know…"

She didn't laugh, settling for fidgeting and debating something in her head. Sayri waited. Ivy was not Andrea, Ivy was supposed to be capable of just blurting out whatever it was that was in her head. If she wasn't doing that, something had to have exploded.

Her lips struggled to open, and she sighed. "Someone's kidnapped Andy."

Sayri stared. "Are… are you serious?" How could someone steal Andrea? She was a tank! A tank with a sword!

Ivy nodded. "We're going after her… and Erin said to bring you."

"Where?" No point in asking why, he doubted Ivy had a clue what went on in Erin's head, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know what the guy was thinking.

Ivy pointed straight up and Sayri groaned. "Of course… wait a minute, when the hell did that get there?"

'That' referred to the grey strip in the mountain.

"It's getting faster." He turned his gaze back to Ivy's watery stare. "Something started, and since we've met you, it's started really accelerating. Maybe you were the kickoff, but I don't know… doesn't it look closer?"

He looked again. "Uh… now that I'm actually paying attention… yeah, it does." Sayri stared. "How are we supposed to fix- Ivy, hey, what is it?"

She was hiccupping again, shaking. "I… I just… I can't-"

"Oh jeez, I'm an idiot." She snorted and Sayri laughed weakly. Better than nothing. She was probably half scared to death for Andrea. "I'm sorry. You're probably having a panic attack right now." He moved to help her sit down. "Take a deep breath okay. Come on…"

"N-Not Andy," she stuttered, shaking her head. Her dark fingers threaded through her hair and she shivered. "No, she's… she'll work it out but… but…"

"But?"

 _Ivy's like a kid,_ he realized.  _Well, I guess all of them are like kids. They're all big kids who didn't get people to help them know which way was up and now they don't even know how to find their way anywhere anymore. And they don't know which way to go except to grab each other's hands and pray._

_They're all alone._

The thing she was trying to say hit him like a brick through the window. "You're… worried about me, aren't you?" Ivy didn't speak, but he went on. "You're worried because you're taking me to a place where all I can do is get hurt and do something really stupid and ridiculous that you don't want me to do and you don't know if you guys will be able to bring me home, right? Because these people are what I have… and you guys are all you have and you don't want that to be me."

Ivy nodded, biting her lip to make it bleed.

Sayri looked at her, at the sky, and back at her. "I'd never have thought going to the arcade would end up with me being chased by dragons and told I have a weird smell and that i'm special or something. I didn't think meeting a chick with a sword was on my bucket list, you know." He laughed. " I mean, really, you guys are weird… but… you're also the first friends I've ever really had… the first people out of family to look at me and say 'you aren't bad, just a moron.' and want to help. I… I owe Andrea-Andy. And… I owe you guys. So," He scratched his head. "god where am I going with this?"

He gave up and sighed. "Uh… thanks for worrying about me… but I'm going to help you guys anyway, and there's nothing your crying can do about it!"

He winked and grinned. "Okay?"

Ivy stared at him for a moment, then burst into giggles. "Okay… okay, you win, stupid human. It's… hahah… your funeral, you dork…"

"Hey, I got you to laugh, didn't I?" he jabbed with a smirk. "That's my win there!"

"Whatever…"

There were things he wanted to ask her, about the storm, about Andy… but… she was laughing, and she wasn't looking quite so unhappy… and for some reason, that was more important.

"No Erin."

Erin's arms remained gently gripping Patamon, and the Digimon felt it when they tensed further around him. He didn't tighten his grip, but it was enough for the Digimon to realize how anxious this conversation- argument- was making them. "You… we don' have a choice." He had slipped into the slurring voice again, Patamon noticed. He didn't like that voice. It wasn't real. The softer one was better. "If you're sepra-seperated from the other humans, and somethin' goes down, we… won't know. An' our scent's everywhere but it's so weak it won't cover you up!"

Xavier frowned. "You will come back here, and how will I know? How will people understand this?" He gestured to the rooms, the rooms that smelled like faded blood and human first-aid supplies and had cracked furniture. "Someone could assume someone was murdered here."

"It won' matter if you're dead!" Erin snapped. "If the world's gone, none of that will matter."

"But you're going to make sure the world isn't gone," Xavier countered gently.

Erin flushed, and the flush was dusty pink and miserable-looking. "Y-Ya can't just say stuff like that, you fart." His voice cracked, weakened. Patamon scrabbled his paws against the other's arm, trying to keep him focused.

"Why not?" Patamon sniffed the air. The smell… that human's smell, it just… it just changed. "It's you,  _Eri._ " Erin swallowed and stepped back. "It's all of you, and I seem… to feel that you have… all been, successful before…"

"X-Xav-"

" _No."_

Erin felt the panic build up like bile. "Jade!" he shouted.

"What?" Xavier paused. Now Patamon could smell something… no… he couldn't smell anything.

"Y-you can't," Erin said and his voice was a cracking whisper as he rummaged in a nearby drawer. "You can't!" He repeated, voice steady. "You can't do it, Xavier. You gotta go. you need to be safe from them, from us, remember?"

"I don't…" the man murmured, "But you could just be lying. You could just keep secrets like you always do."

"We…" Erin shook his head. "We don't lie!" He released Patamon to float in the air, and he wrapped the object he had pulled from the drawer around Xavier's wrist. Xavier struggled and Erin watched in horror as his eyes changed from blue to brown and back again, forcing the bracelet clasp shut. Jade entered the room, confused.

"You idiot, hurry up!" Erin snapped. "I can't do it!"

Jade nodded, placing one had to Xavier's chest and the other to his head. Instantly, the man went limp. Erin wiped his eyes and Jade tapped his hand.

"I'm  _not,_  sorry."

Jade pressed his lips to Erin's cheek and Erin shook him off. "Stop, all right? Just… I… I need a minute. I…"

Jade smiled and stroked up his arm.  _You're tired of not being you._

"Am I that obvious or do you just know me too well?"

Jade made no answer, but adjusted the bracelet on the man's wrist. Erin sighed, wiping his eyes again. "I don't want to do this anymore, Jade. I really don't."

Jade nodded.

"But… I have to, to keep everyone safe… for that…" He pulled a picture from where the bracelet had been in the drawer. "I'll do anything." He glanced at Jade. "You have your Trigger?" Jade nodded, and Erin twisted two fingers around his own, glimpsing the people in the picture.

Two boys, four girls. All alive, all well.

"You made us  _swear_ , Xavier…" He folded it and placed in the man's pocket. "And when you wake up…" She sighed. "You're going to have the choice of learning why. We can't… we won't stop you anymore. We won't stop him either. Please… just… don't hate us at the end, especially not Andy."

She pulled Patamon from the air. "I'm going to get the little guy out of the bed and ready to go. Can you handle things here?"

Jade saluted.

Erin left the room.

Just a little longer and everything would be over.


	17. Ready, Go!

"... That's it."

Sayri pulled his belt a little more snugly around his waist, clipping the broken Digivice to it. What possessed him to bring it with, he couldn't say, but the cracked plastic had warmed in his fingers while he had looked up at the sky Ivy had briefly leapt into. That was as good a reason as any, he guessed. For a moment, he looked at the robe his mother had given him after his growth spurt. He contemplated bringing it along.

"Don't go."

Dakota's voice trembled, a little too loud, loud enough to almost interrupt Teru's snore.

Sayri looked at the robe again, then walked over to Dakota and wrapped it around her instead, watching it dangle over her small shoulders like a blanket during a game of pretend. "Sorry, sis," he said. "But they need me. And I need them."

"No," she said. Her eyes watered. "I won't forgive you if you go."

Sayri smiled. The expression was bitter, and he was suddenly very frightened that this would be his last conversation with his family for a long time, if ever. "I can accept that." He turned to face her, kneeling to lock eyes and she looked younger than nine. She had been just a toddler when he had caused enough trouble to get kicked out of school. She would only know the big brother who sat at a table most of the day and studied, who was always able to play and be around when she needed him. Her brothers were different, in and out and they all knew about him and his stupidity, Haru knowing it best.

She was sheltered from that, always had been. Because he had lied. He must have, and their parents were too busy and too worried to say the truth. Maybe they thought that it was better for Dakota, who was just too insensitive to the way things worked most of the time. She tried, and sometimes she knew, but she wasn't Haru, who was just too nice.

"Dakota," he said quietly. "I'm sorry. I've been a bad brother." For a moment, he remembered his mother's face, diminished but no less proud. "I really did only let you see the good things about me."

"But you  _are_ good," she said, as if she was insisting a point she had already argued. "That's why you don't have to go!"

"No. That's why I have to go." He mussed her hair. "I want to be that cool big brother you saw all the time, not some punk who hides from fights and can only sit and watch and blame others because I got myself thrown out of class and arcades and worried my parents. They didn't stand for my bad things, not once, but they always looked at me like it was okay that I wasn't the big, tough guy I showed you or shoved in people's faces and that I needed their help. So… I gotta help and be more than the bad things I showed them. I don't want to stay here and regret for your peace of mind because if I do, I might never see those guys again."

"I don't understand," She said, and Sayri couldn't help but wonder how much those words had hurt her to admit.

Sayri looked to the other side of the room, where Haru was quietly pulling himself up. His eyes, without their glasses, almost seemed to glow. "You don't have to." He gave her one last hug. "Bye, Dakota. Keep everyone safe. No more crying."

"I wasn't crying!"

"And no more yelling either," he quipped, walking out of the room and closing the door. As he headed towards the front door, he heard his mother's voice from the kitchen, faint but amused.

"Bring that lass home, cub."

Sayri smiled. "Thanks, mum. I'm going."

He hurried down the steps and out the door. Standing beneath the terrace, he paused for a moment. "Ivy?"

"Ah, she will be a moment," drawled Xavier's soft voice from the nearby stairs. "Dear doesn't like to cry, you see. Finds it undignified. But when you can't help yourself," He made it too the top, clutching the hand of the little boy with the egg. "You can't. She's horribly embarrassed."

He smiled at Sayri, who flinched. The man's face was pale, heavy circles under his eyes and mouth strained. A bracelet dangled from one wrist as he pulled the child up with him. "Mikiya-kun, are you all right? We did have to leave in a hurry, after all."

"M okay," the little boy said, albeit sleepily. "I'm strong enough. But Mister Xavier... you're all messed up."

"Hmm..." the man laughed. "Suppose that's why I don't drink, isn't it?"

Ivy alighted down, eyes clear. She perched on the rail, face cloudy. At the sight of Xavier and the bracelet on his wrist, her eyes widened. Then, at the sight of Sayri looking at her, she visibly relaxed, blue eyes flitting between them. "So, uh…" he began, looking shifty. "Why're you here?"

"My kids are a little paranoid," was Xavier's reply with a wink. Sayri laughed, but he thought he knew what that meant.

The Chimaera were not expecting to come back any time soon.

Well, neither did he.

Sayri turned to the kid, Mikiya if he'd heard right, and grinned. "Hey, buddy, how's the arm?"

"Back at full power," the little boy declared, though he kept it snug around the egg.

Sayri's smile widened. "Course, man, nothing can stop you right?" At the excitable nod, Sayri dropped his voice. "See, I've got a mission for you. Think you can handle it?"

"What is it?" His little dark face looked curious, full of wonder at being entrusted with a mission.  _I don't care how many crises we have, eight-year-olds are eight._

"Well… you see," Sayri scratched his head. "My sister's sittin' in that house over there, and she can't come with me. She didn't like that."

"Did you make her cry?" Mikiya sounded incredulous, horribly so for a little kid. It would have been embarrassing if it weren't for the fact that the little boy's high voice made it ridiculous. He could hear Ivy stifling weak giggles. "Nii-san, you aren't supposed to make girls cry."

"Well, I've already done it twice," he said to himself, then grinned. "I know, I'm just bad with chicks, who'da thunk?" Mikiya gave a little boy laugh and Sayri allowed himself a bit of pride. "But listen, I really am gonna run outta here… and I don't wanna leave her with my uncultured little brothers, you know? One of 'em can't punch and the other punches too much and misses. So… can you keep an eye on her for me until I get back? A friend will help a lot!"

"But she's your sister." Mikiya pulled the egg from nearly leaving his hands. "Is it okay?"

Sayri chuckled. "Yep! You tell her some stories, kay? I'm counting on you!"

There was a moment's pause, then Mikiya nodded. Sayri grinned. "Thanks! I'm counting on you, Mikiya! Oh and Xavier-san too!"

"I say the same to you," the man said in a low hum. "Take care of my kids, Sayri-kun."

He saw Ivy flush and smiled. "Will do, sir." He went down the steps and Ivy skipped after him.

Taking to flying just above his head, he heard her say softly. "That was good."

He turned red. "Thanks."

"...You're still not as good as Andy though!"

"When did this turn into a competition?"

"It's not!"

* * *

"Ugh…"

"Don't move."

The voice made him freeze in place, but enough time surviving Pinocchimon and his games to know when to obey. Takeru forced himself to relax, moving only his fingers. "Lad, ssh!"

Andrea.

Her voice was a hiss behind his ear, and through that clarification, became aware of the smell of salt and soft earth. He closed his eyes and listened. Beneath his hands, the ground shook with steps. Something running... but from where?

"What's going on," he breathed as the ground shook against his cheek, something crashing loudly down. It was the sound of falling trees, mixed with metallic whines and screeches.

"Something is hunting," she replied. "Small, weak-boned, . The hunt is almost over by the sound of things. They're headed this way. Be ready." Her voice was a growl in the back of the throat and Takeru looked up at her in confusion.

"Pinocchimon?" He said.

She gave a shrug. "Its steps seem too quiet for a creature like that but I cannot be certain. There are others mixed with it, beastly ones." He saw her amber eyes glitter, and her fanged smile was none too reassuring. "Lad, up.!

Even he knew the implications of that, but he obeyed anyway. The trees rumbled beneath him, crashing and nearly making him fall back down. His eyes traced the grey earth and caught a glimpse of something white and motionless on the ground in the middle of the clearing.

"Hikari-chan!"

"Good, you noticed." Was it his imagination, or did she sound irritated? He supposed it had to happen to everybody. "I'm going to move and you are going to get her out of here. Are we clear?"

Takeru nodded, and her crouched form moved away from his, drawing that knife of hersand cutting into her palm. "Sabre," she muttered. "The only French I know." Her blade grew, glowing dark in all of the grey. She went still, waiting as a human-shaped blur went rushing by. Then she pushed off, blade clashing into metal. At the clang, Takeru bolted, throwing himself to roll Hikari and himself to land in the grass on the other side.

Andrea backflipped once they were out of the way. "Hello there," she hummed, adjusting her stance, left foot back, blade to the side. "Mind chewing on me for a while?"

Takeru peered over Hikari's head to look at the creature. It growled softly, huffing puffs of cold air from its metal snout. "Me-MetalGarurumon...?"

Andrea spared him half a glance before the monster charged, raising a great paw towards her head. She ducked and rolled, and the claws scraped her back. "You know this hunter?"

Takeru hestated. Wasn't this distracting? As she swung her sword down, he slowly answered. "I might! My Onii-chan has a MetalGarurumon, but I haven't seen him look like that before." He looked in the direction the blur had gone and paled. "It couldn't be..."

He wished Patamon were here. But he wasn't, so he gently began to shake Hikari awake. "Hikari-chan! We need to get out of here! Hikari-chan!"

She stirred slowly, a low groan leaving her lips. "Ta-Takeru-kun..."

 _At least she's alive after all of that weird stuff._ He would ask about that later, and settled for pulling her onto his back. "I'm gonna ? But once you can move, you've gotta run too!" She makes a noise of acknowledgement, sleepy though it is.

"Andy?" She murmured with anxiety.

"Go," the woman encouraged. "I can play fetch." When Hikari began to squirm, like she was going to jump after her into the fight, Andrea snapped. "Protect the lad! Move!"

Hikari bolted up and off at this, dragging Takeru forward and running almost too quickly for him to keep up. She was not upset, but her eyes were solid and clear, even as the earth smashed against their bare feet. "Where are we?"

"I think..."  _I hope._  "We're in the Digital World."

"Is it supposed to look like this?"

"I don't think so," he said, feeling her claws sink into his hand and containing a wince. "The place used to be green and there were Digimon living in it. What was this about?

"How did we get here?" She asked, dodging left. Her voice was casual, almost happy.

He almost stopped, confused. "You don't remember?"

"I just remember a lot of pain," she told him with a bland smile. "I wouldn't trust my memories, anyway. I keep losing them."

 _I'm more sane than she is._ Takeru almost giggled at the absurdity. He was eight-years-old and survived a nutty puppet and all manners of horrible games and he was still more sane than Taichi's younger sister. But was he more sane than his brother?

 _Duh,_ that mocking voice said in his brain.  _Last you saw, he and the others were dragged away by a bunch of black hands and stuff. If you're not okay, he's probably worse 'cause he's so weak! Stupid!_

Takeru bit his lip and forced the thoughts away. Then Hikari spoke. "He's okay, Takeru-kun." At his puzzled frown, she smiled sheepishly. "Your face looks scared. And you weren't scared by the giant wolf over there, so I thought you were scared for someone else."

"My brother is out here," he said, by way of explanation, if that was one. "And I don't know what happened to him and that might be his partner Andrea-san's fighting right now."

"Oh. Like Patamon is yours?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then they'll be okay." Hikari paused then added. "You care about them and hope for them so they should be okay because hope is what Takeru has. So as long as that is, we'll figure stuff out. You wouldn't be here now if you didn't hope like that."

Takeru blinked. "I hoped you were okay too... that you hadn't...died."

"That was different," the girl said with a shake of her head. "That couldn't be helped. They can be helped."

"Why are you okay with that?" His voice croaked out. "We let you die! We let you get hurt and like... like this!"

"Well, you didn't mean to and it's over now. This isn't over." Hikari picked up the pace, pulling Takeru into the air and on her back. "We need to end it ourselves… before we lose anyone else." She winked. "Right?"

Takeru flushed suddenly. He felt dumb.  _And I'm supposed to have the Crest of Hope…_ He slapped himself and grinned. "Yeah!" They, those Chimaera and the others, everyone would bring this to an end.

She kicked off the ground as something swiped at her feet, managing to tumble them over a branch. "Don't worry, Takeru-kun, until we get to Patamon, I'll protect you, okay?"

"Okay! Thanks!"

Despite the weirdness of the situation, Takeru felt a weight leaving his chest. Hikari was not human anymore, the Digital World was grey, and his brother's partner might be trying to kill them.

But he wasn't dead, and he wasn't alone, and Patamon was going to find him and his brother. They were going to fight on, and save everyone.

They could do it.

"Takeru-kun, there's someone who kinda smells like you up ahead…"

"Really?" He perked up, dodging a dangerously low branch. Good thing he didn't have his hat.

"Mm! He also smells a little bloody though…" She ducked her head. "Do you think we can bandage him?"

"We'd need Andre-Andy's jacket to do it, I don't think any of us have enough fabric or anything."  _Or Jyou-san's emergency kit… he was really smart to keep that the whole time!_

Even his thoughts sounded happier… it actually was a little weird.

"A-anyway, let's hurry, Hikari-chan!" He would apologize for having to be carried later, it really didn't seem like she thought too much about it anyway. Especially since he almost flew off when she stopped out of nowhere.

Someone was collapsed on the ground. Takeru took a few hesitant steps, then a few more. He thought it was that mop of blond hair… "Onii-chan…?"

"Ta… Takeru?"

The boy grinned. "Onii-chan!" He took another step forward but Hikari let out a soft cry of warning. "It's okay, Hikari-chan, my brother won't hurt me!"  _Probably._

The name got the person to stir. "Hikari… she's dead."

"Well, I'm not dead  _now._ "

Takeru muffled a laugh. It probably did get irritating after a while, but this probably wasn't the time. "I'll explain later! Right now, we need to get you out of here!" He paused, and then it hit him very suddenly.

His brother was  _alive_. That meant the others might be alive.

The tears rose to his eyes, but he wiped them away as the other person tried to rise. "Ta-Takeru?"

"'S okay," he said with a weak grin, stepping even closer. "I just… um… I… you're here… you're really here Onii-chan… I was worried about you guys…"

Yamato pulled himself up, difficult to do through a badly injured arm that had only recently managed to scab over properly to look at his brother. The pajamas he was in were slightly too big, ripped and dangling off his shoulders. Scars littering his body, the most prominent at one cheek, deep-set bags under his eyes and hair limp, the Tag he wore covered in mud, feet scraped raw.

If he didn't know any better, his brother looked like he had come in from an overly exuberant game at the playground when he shouldn't have. But the stance was too stiff, fists clenched to break into his palms, gaze too firm through tears and wet clothes.

The incredulity that filled his thoughts escaped him more easily than he thought, and Yamato pulled his brother close. " _You_ were worried? You were with Pinocchimon this whole time! I thought he had killed you!"

"Not for lack of trying," Takeru said under his breath, and the matter-of-factness of it made Yamato inwardly cringe. Then his brother smiled. "But we're okay now! And all of us will be together soon and save the worlds and go home!"

The pep was so undeniably his brothers, but also unnatural from such a gangly looking kid. Takeru seemed to still, like he was trying to figure something out. Yamato, for once, didn't really mind. This was his brother. He was okay. He was safe. Heck, he was in good spirits despite all of this. That was… that was incredible.

Takeru was thinking, however, tears somehow quickly spent. So this was his brother… that meant the others could be around… and maybe that was MetalGarurumon after all. So… would Hikari-chan be able to find them?

First things first, he supposed.

"Hikari-chan!" He began to turn. "Do you recognize this person?" When she didn't answer, he stopped in confusion. "Hikari-chan…" The girl was bristling, Holy Ring on her tail glowing a visible gold in the grey scenery. Her eyes were looking straight up at the sky and he had to move himself to look.

"I believe  _I_ have occupied all of her attention."

The pierrot gave a sweeping bow. "Hello, my dear," Piemon hummed. "I'd rather thought I'd killed you. I have to say, I admire the tenacity of someone making their way from the bottom of an ocean with a hole in their chest. Quite awe-inducing."

"I'll try harder to  _terrify_ you next time," Hikari hissed, and as she crouched, her large ears went back and eyes turned blue. Takeru could see Tailmon, really see the cat, and she was  _not happy_. Not that anyone could blame her.

"Oh my," Piemon said with a frown. "What on Earth are you?"

"Ticked off," she spat, and lunged into the air, glowing white and pink and gold and fists covered in flames.


	18. Resonance

"Hikari-chan!" Takeru shouted as she flew up, fire covering not just her bands, but passing harmlessly around her like an angel's aura. "Come back! You can't fight him!"

Piemon only smiled and slashed sideways, sending her soaring down to the ground with a loud thump. Takeru didn't dare move, Yamato being in his way would slow him down. But Hikari sat up a few minutes later. Her expression was still murderous, fangs seeming to be growing larger in her mouth like her nails on her hands. However, she remained hunched on the ground, not stepping forward as the ground near her feet had begun to smoke.

Piemon laughed and Takeru felt that familiar urge to plug his ears. "You're more fiery than I remember. Aren't you dead?"

"We need to stop reminding her," Takeru muttered as she didn't speak, merely lashed her tail. The fire wrapped further around her fists and as she stepped one foot back, he saw the blood on her front. The clown had gotten her but she was healing, healing much too quickly.

Piemon flew down, reaching to slash at her again, but this time, Hikari jumped away, sword easily cutting into her hood and tearing through it. She barely noticed, dancing on her fingers to kick at the sword after her head...

Only to find it was two blades and she was easily thrown off balance and into the air.

Hikari reacted and her Holy Ring flashed gold. She didn't get to right herself before the hilt of Piemon's blade thrust into her back, sending her catapulted into the sky.

Takeru heard Piemon laugh again. "Amazing! You can't keep up with me, but you're doing better than I dreamed! Tell me your secret!"

Hikari spat as she leveled herself back up in the air. Her blue eyes remained chilly, but the flames had shrunk to mere embers around her fingers. She panted for air as she replied. "Die and find out," she said dryly. She crouched to jump again and Takeru called.

"Hikari-chan! Come on, we need to get out of here!"

"I don't think she can dare." The pierrot vanished, and then Hikari was held in a vicegrip by the throat. Her legs kicked with reflex, coughing for breath. "Otherwise this could happen to you! Right?" Takeru ran forward, but a blast of energy was thrown at his feet, sending him flying into his brother's chest.

Takeru winced. "Onii-chan, are you okay?"

"Fine," his brother said, a little too quickly for his liking. Piemon, meanwhile, was examining Hikari's squirming form, smiling all the while with too many teeth. "A friend of ours would love to have a look at you, the Child of Light." He peered into her eyes. "Or perhaps he already has… has he been calling you, little girl, calling your corpse up from the water?"

Hikari managed a breath of air, then sank her sharp teeth into Piemon's gloved hand. Blood trickled and she kicked herself free, flying out of his immediate reach and spitting. Piemon shook his white hand and smiled.

"So defiant, just like your brother," he mused. Hikari's ears twitched and each fur stood up on her head. "Can't have that, can we? We had so much fun breaking him too…" He lunged and grabbed her by the back of her sweater, throwing her into a tree. "I'm not a scientist so I can't study you." He looked at Takeru and Yamato. "Or you two either. It's been a mistake to play with my food."

Yamato pulled Takeru aside as Piemon flew forward. He swung down-

-And promptly pulled back, face to face with Andrea and her crimson blade. Takeru breathed a sigh of relief as the young woman dropped beside them, back leg ripped and bleeding.

"Fast, aren't you," Piemon said, rather like he was commenting over a soccer game.

Andrea laughed. "What can I say?" she hissed. "I aim to provide a challenge. You two all right?"

"Yeah," Takeru replied before Yamato could get a word in. "But Hikari-chan's roughed up and your arm looks bad, Andy."

"I'm just excited," Andrea replied with a fanged smile, letting the blood from her arm drip into a puddle.

Yamato stiffened and stepped back. He didn't like her, no he really didn't. Andrea winked and licked her lips, turning back around.

"Can you blame me?" she asked no one in particular as she lunged. "It's been decades since I had an opponent worthy of being  _crushed._ "

"Wait," Takeru said nervously, not shouting to disrupt focus. "Be careful! This guy's the one who killed Hikari-chan!"

"Killing kids doesn't sound threatening," Hikari muttered from where she was pulling herself to stand up.

"Well," Piemon said with a smile to the white-haired girl, who snarled at him. "I certainly made a valiant attempt at it. Didn't go as planned though." He winked, laughing at the way her eyes were now catlike, brimming with more rage and less fear. "Maybe I just didn't tear you into enough pieces. Want me to try again?"

"Please do," she intoned, Tailmon's voice deepening her own. "I look forward to cheating you!"

Andrea scraped her blade into the blood below and it hissed, sparking to life and turning a deeper red. "You caused her to be like this," she mused. "To have a Trigger, eh?" The young woman smiled, swishing her purple hair from her face. "All the more reason to fight!"

Piemon laughed all the louder. "Oh yes, I could grow to like you! You make my blood  _boil._ " He lunged, crossing his blades to slice down. She did not meet him, raising her booted foot to kick at the sharp edges. She forced them down and away, almost from Piemon's hands. The leather was sliced but she paid it no mind, sending her other heel right into Piemon's face. Flipping back, she hit the ground and uttered a single shout.

" _Move!"_

They did, Takeru dragging his brother after them as Hikari forced herself to run. As Andrea brought up the rear, Takeru couldn't help but cheer. "That was so great, Andy!" he cried, checking that Hikari wasn't falling ahead of him. "You actually, you know,  _hit_  him! We couldn't even come close before!"

Yamato stared at him, again, and Takeru for the life of him couldn't understand  _why_. His eyes were cold and thoughtful and even a little scared, hand shaking in Takeru's grip. "Takeru," he croaked. "Where did you, well, get that scar?"

Takeru frowned, tracing the path of his eyes to realize his brother meant the one on his cheek. "Um… week two, I think. We played darts with throwing knives and he was trying to aim them at me." That was actually a while ago, wasn't it? Ah well. "Later, though, Onii-chan!" he protested, for some reason not wanting to spiral down to sadness again. "She  _got_ him!"

Andrea shook her head, after making sure Yamato was actually silent. "Nothing is settled in one blow, lad," she said softly. "No true fights anyway. It won't work a second time."

"We've managed to turn things around in one shot," Yamato muttered with distaste.

She snorted at him. "Then your opponents weren't really trying." She paused, looking around carefully, watching the swishing moves of Hikari's tail. "Certainly, a good counterattack can turn the tide of battle, but if it really took one blow to decide every fight, the enemy clearly wasn't taking you seriously or you had the strategies of a military tactician or street rat."

"What the hell do you know?" Yamato snapped, suddenly angry, no furious, all over again. "You think because you can kick that guy once, you get off telling us how to fight?"

"Onii-chan!" Takeru scolded. "Not now! This is the wrong place for anything like that!" Yamato looked at him, horrorstruck and ashamed of himself as Takeru pulled him along. "You don't want to go back after him?" he asked Andrea now.

"This place is a part of his territory," she replied. "I know when I'm outclassed."

"This place isn't his," Hikari said quietly. "It smells like the sea, like a polluted sea." Her tail lashed. "Andy, where are we going?"

"Some place to hide and wait for the others," was the breezy reply, brushing her jacket back over her bleeding arm. How she ran with that leg was a mystery in itself. "I managed to get that dog to heel but we'll be playing fetch again soon enough, I'm sure." Finding a tree, she dug into the space beneath the roots. "Here. Is cramped, but I'll widen it for us."

Hikari crawled after her silently and Takeru slid after her. Giving one last glance to the outside world, Yamato followed.

The woman hadn't been kidding, it  _was_  cramped. He could barely lift his head, but at least he could lift it. That was enough for him. Takeru wasn't dead, somehow, Hikari wasn't dead, and they had someone who could fight. That was enough to satisfy him for the moment.

"Who are you?" Yamato said, once he had managed to get a small area to curl on himself. The woman shrank her blade and pocketed it before answering.

"You've heard my name," she said, pushing at the dirt with her palms.

Yamato managed a weak snort, despite himself. "Yeah, but that's not who you are, is it?"

"Astute of you to say so," Andrea said, putting a finger to her lips.

Seconds passed, then large paws went crushing by, shaking their shelter. They all tensed, especially going still at the sound of laughter in the air.

"Is the game already over?"

Takeru flinched.

" _Come on, let's play!"_

" _Of_ course  _it's with your life! That's the best game, ever!"_

He started to shake, opening his mouth to make any sort of noise but Hikari clapped her hand over it, holding it shut.

"Don't, Takeru-kun," she whispered out urgently. "It's okay to be scared, but you can't scream. Please. If they catch us, the game will never end.  _Please."_

Takeru swallowed, but remained still. For a few moments, the air remained tense in that manner. Eventually, as everything went to an eerie silence, Takeru managed to lay down, curling up in sleep. Hikari followed him a moment later. Eventually, Andrea was the only one awake, eyes half-open as the rest dreamed uneasy dreams.

Andrea rested her head against the dirt, sighing faintly.  _If only my return to this world could have been more welcoming…_  Vaguely, she recalled images, quiet and disjointed and scarlet at the edges. She supposed it couldn't be helped.

_We don't remember for a reason._

If she saw tears in the eyes of any of the sleeping children, she didn't judge them. But she did wipe them away as gently as she dared.

…

Patamon jolted awake and shivered, disoriented.

He was back in Erin's arms and they were standing up on the rooftop of the apartment. They were alone, and it caused that person to look at him. He was still not sure that this human was all right but they were all he had right now.

The urge ran up his fur into his paws again, like lightning, and Erin tilted their head, their eyes puzzled. He wondered why, was he shaking? Patamon took a deep breath and slowed his wings, which he noticed were flapping against Erin's chest. Explained a lot. "Takeru's hurt," he finally said. "Or in danger. Are they almost here?"

Erin looked up at the sky. "Yeah," they said lightly. "They're close. Just a bit more." Patamon nodded, burrowing into their hold. "Hey, stop that, you have a partner."

"I know!" Patamon protested. "I just… I… it's not right. I don't know where he is but I know he's really not okay at all."  _And I'm scared…_  It wasn't that Digimon weren't supposed to show fear, they were, but Takeru was already hurting. What if by acting scared here, where he couldn't be seen, he could hurt Takeru somehow?

"Even so," Erin said quietly. "I'm not yours."

"But yours are gone and that isn't fair."

"If you're looking for fair, you're on the wrong planet," Asteria's voice chimed in soft peals. Jade helped her up the steps, each movement tender and lopsided. Though he couldn't see anything more than skin beneath her recently changed clothing, Patamon saw her eyes were sunken in deep and darkly-circled. There was no time, he realized, not to heal her, not to rest.

Then why bring her, when she probably couldn't fight?

... That brought up the question of why bring humans to the Digital World at  _all_ , but he didn't want to think about that. It was just too complicated.

He decided not to ask if she was okay. That would be silly. "Is Pinocchimon dead?" he decided to say instead and all he got in return was a shrug and a shake of the head.

"Not by my hand," she answered hoarsely. "I just heal faster."

 _One of the others?_ "But his area is gone." He gestured a paw towards the grey sea and earned a shrug in response.

"Perhaps his games grew tiresome," she replied with a low head shake. "We can't all be like Peter Pan."

Patamon had no clue what that meant, but in the end, it said everything. Asteria hadn't done it. Maybe one of the others had… but there were only two people that could. He had seen what had happened to them. And if it had been the others, they would have heard, there would have been a signal. Something, at least.

Then what?

Patamon gave up. It didn't matter. He smiled to himself. "Takeru," he murmured. "I'm going to see you soon…. how are we getting up there?"

The three of them looked at each other and held out an object each. A leather bracelet, a wooden cross, a dull golden locket, all three objects gently began to pulse. "No turning back," Erin said, voice gentle in reverie.

"Hey! Aren't you forgetting some people?"

Erin rolled their eyes. "Like we can forget a heart attack, Sayri."

In any other situation, Patamon would have found it comical that such a tall male was held in the arms of such a little girl. But Ivy seemed not to care, and barring his odd blush, seemed fairly comfortable right where he was. Yet relief crossed his face when he touched the ground and was let go of. Patamon hurriedly flew out of the way as she went over, holding up a shining coin. "We're going right?" she asked, voice a bit too chipper, like sound could hide the puffiness around her eyes.

Erin nodded, glancing next to her head to give Sayri a raised eyebrow. Sayri responded with a shrug. Ivy glowered at both of them before tossing the coin into the air. It spun and pulsed, freezing in free fall. Moments after, a white light wrapped around them. Patamon's wings nearly failed him, and he dropped, only to float up. "Wheh…?"

"Ivy, are you doing this?" Sayri couldn't help but ask. She snorted.

"I'm a witch, not a miracle worker," she replied. "The gate's open! We're going!"

"Going back," Teri said softly. "Going home." Sayri noted the tightness in her face and cringed. It didn't help that her hands were just dangling there like limp noodles.

For a moment, he watched himself float above the ground, then said, "We're gonna make it back, right?"

They were all silent and Sayri almost decided to throw himself off and spare them the trouble of throttling him, when Erin said, rather simply. "Yeah. This time, we will."  _This place already took one of us. It's not taking_ our  _Andy._

There were so many questions beneath those words and for once in his life, Sayri consciously didn't care about any of them. They would tell him when they wanted to, but their friends came first.

It warmed his heart that, though it went unspoken, that included him.


	19. Crawl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY. Sorry about how long it took.

When Yamato awoke, the setting was mostly unchanged. Takeru and Hikari remained curled close to each other, so deeply asleep he suspected not even the tree being on fire would wake them. Andrea's head was on her knees, eyes watching him as he moved. "Welcome back to the world of the living, Chosen Child," she said softly. "You were dreaming twisted dreams. It was all over your face."

Yamato shifted, not rising to the low "ceiling". "Are you going to tell me who you are now?" he asked, keeping his voice low so as to not wake the other two in the room. Did those ears twitch anyway?

Andrea laughed. "Why would I do that?" she said, lips quirking upward.

"You were able to save my brother's life," he said, smirk rising onto his face. Anger smoldered unchecked beneath his skin and he was suddenly achingly aware of an emptiness at his side. All of them lacked it, and he hadn't been around people in a long time, but the more he looked at Andrea, the angrier and emptier he felt. "And, you managed to kick Piemon in the face and I'm not even sure you should be here. I think that warrants a little explanation."

She matched his smirk with one of her own. "The princess dragged us back here and the little one was saved by my friend. If you want a chance to learn something, those two are a better bet than I am."

"But you can answer one of my questions, about how you could fight." He looked her over again. "Are you human?"

Andrea hummed a little. "Somewhat."

He changed tactics. "Is that girl really Hikari-chan?" If it was, he could get a message to Taichi. He ignored the obnoxious "and then what?" at the back of his mind and waited. He hated the way she looked at him, but gritted his teeth and bore with it.

Andrea frowned minutely at him suddenly, amber eyes narrowing and flickering red. "You both have the same scent problem," she said instead, gesturing to Takeru. "When you're angry, the scent changes. No wonder that cub is on such a rampage." She smiled, the expression mocking on her face. "That's  _your_  partner out there, right? He smelled like you."

"What is your  _deal_?" The anger overrode the common sense and he missed Takeru stir. He felt like balloons had popped in his brain and the only sensible course of action was to wrap his hands around her neck and-

Wait, what was he thinking?

"Oh..." she said, grinning. "You noticed?"

Yamato swayed and found himself rolling over. Bile ran up his esophagus, making it burn. He took a moment to swallow, to make sure he wouldn't vomit, before speaking up. "Are you… doing this?" The anger coiled in his stomach again, like he had just been kicked. The urge to attack was only quelled by the nausea and he grimaced until she spoke again.

"If I was, believe me, I would have killed you while you were trying to bite off your own tongue a few moments ago," she replied dryly. "Haven't you been here before? It's this place that's doing it. All of the feelings humans bury away or turn from, are you telling me you don't recognize it?"

"What are you talking about?" he hissed. "This is the,ow, Digital World, where else could it be?"

Andrea gave a tut. " _Nein_ , consider it like we are in its grumpy next door neighbor, the one with the the crystal meth lab in the back room." At his raised eyebrow, she laughed. "What, have you not seen one of those yet? So young…"

He managed a scoff. "You don't exactly look like an old bat yourself."

She laughed again. "True."

They were silent until he felt himself capable of sitting up again. "That's your partner out there," she said, voice slightly reverent. "Isn't it? The black pup with the penchant of freezing your bones?"

Yamato gave a reluctant nod. "I… I think so. It's not like I've seen many other really high-level Digimon around here. Though I don't know how he could get like that." His eyes glazed over. "He's always been rather meek."

The partner Digimon is the reflection of the heart." Andrea steepled her fingers together. "Something in your heart has been twisted by this world, or perhaps by that Digimon, and his behavior is the result."

"So, it's my fault he wants to kill me."

"If you're suffering pain, you seek out the way to end that agony, do you not? It's considered cathartic to be free of it."

This time, Yamato did glare. "You're horrible at making a person feel better."

She shrugged. "It's a vice, what can I say?" She pulled out her knife again, toying with a different grip like a child would a yo-yo. "Where are your others?" At his blank expression, she added, seeming abruptly confused. "Your friends, your Chosen Children. They couldn't have just selected three, that would be bad planning."

He bristled. "Captured, just like I was. Isolated in cells, probably."

" _Really?"_ Now, she sounded interested and that alone made his shoulders sag. She likely didn't even care about them, just the details.

"Yeah," he agreed after he managed to calm down again. "After Hikari-chan died,"  _Or apparently died._ If that really was her, boy could she sleep. "Her brother, Taichi, he absolutely lost it. I mean, it had barely been a few hours since Vamdemon-" He saw her puzzled expression and added. "Psychotic vampire who took over the Tokyo area."

"The one who made the fog?" she inquired, crossing her arms. At his nod, Andrea tsked. "On the international news. Please continue."

Yamato wanted to, but he found he wasn't sure what to say. The blunt statements were caught in his throat. "He-He tried to kill Hikari-chan, took over the city to do it, killed his own army. I don't think Taichi was quite all right with that but… there was hope during that. We believed that we could save the eighth child… and then she died just like that." He laughed and the sound tasted like acid and salt water tears. "All we could do was watch too. Every single time. We had these powerful Digimon… but we couldn't do a  _damn_  thing."

Andrea was quiet a moment, then her voice terse, she said, "Did any of your others die?"

Yamato shook his head slowly. "Not when I last saw them. Our partners weren't great. WarGreymon, Taichi's partner, died… I know that, he screamed, and I don't know what happened to Taichi after that. We were all scattered and then put in a strange, dark prison. If someone tried to escape, I," he swallowed and felt trembling fear and adrenaline roll up his arms and legs. "I could tell the time by when-when their screams were-" He broke off and felt ashamed of himself. He didn't notice the children shifting around by his feet.

"The screaming stopped eventually," Yamato eventually finished.

"You gave up." It wasn't an accusation, but shame flushed his face anyway.

"What were we supposed to do?" he asked her.

"Live." He saw her hand move towards Takeru's head and he almost rose to strike her. however, in his sleep, Takeru seemed to barely notice her hand moving his hair from behind his ear. "You still have things you can't afford to lose." Andrea's eyes glittered. "Even if one of you fell, you still could have tried a little more."

 _What does she know?_ "Who are you?"

Andrea clicked her tongue. "' _What_  are  _we'_  would be more of an accurate question."

…

"You're gonna fight him, aren't you?"

Yamato felt Takeru's eyes drilling into his back, not unforgiving, but still chilly, set with a defiance and hope that he hadn't seen since, well, a very long time. Not since before the Dark Masters, when he had decided to hatch Patamon back from his egg. He had a strange hope in his face.  _What, does he think I can win?_

Strangely enough, he probably did. Yamato envied his brother's confidence over that.

"I don't really have a choice," he said after a long pause. "He is my partner and he's just running around destroying things. And if we have him, we're that much closer to defeating the Dark Masters and saving the worlds." The words sounded more hollow than they had in his head.

"Onii-chan."

Hikari was looking out at the monochrome sky, eyes fixed on a point in space. "He's out there, cold. Scared. Sad. Gone. Somewhere. Like this place is somewhere and he's not in it."

"Hikari-chan?" Yamato's call only caused her to look at him now, and the blue eyes have the same expression as they did when they were that odd shade of brown-red and scared of everyone dying. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah!" Her immediate response was Taichi in miniature, happy grin, bemusement, and all. "My head hurts, and I am cold but I feel as if the things that I wanted to protect are close by!" She clenched a fist. "And I can protect them!"

He wasn't sure whether to be awed by her confidence or disturbed by her assertion. Takeru, however, seemed to be neither, only enthused by it, excited at the prospect of what? Of a fight? A fight they could lose? " _We_  can protect them," he corrected with a grin.

The sentiment went with a flurry, almost like the snow on August first, and the strange euphoria touched at his fingers. Yamato then swiped it away and Hikari frowned.

"Neh, Takeru-kun, your brother smells like how you used to smell. You guys don't smell similar anymore."

Yamato had no idea what that meant, but Takeru nodded slowly, understanding. "What do we smell like?"

"Crisp."Hikari frowned, looking for words that can explain it just right. "Takeru-kun's scent is crisp. But his is like yours was; like crushed berries and smoked wood, but bitter."

Takeru nodded and sat very still, thinking in the gloom. Yamato scratched his head, irritated. It wasn't right of them to talk like he wasn't there, or worse, about things they weren't bothering to explain. "Onii-chan," Takeru finally said. "Are you scared?"

"Wha-" Yamato shook his head. "Where did that come from?" He fought to deny, to burst out the bravery that a brother was supposed to have. However, the look on Takeru's face claimed he didn't expect him to, and would call him out if he dared try.

Takeru sat up slowly, feeling for the ceiling with one hand. "Up until now," he said softly, running his hand over the tattered pajama bottoms he wore. "All my thoughts have had this 'what if we lose' feeling to them. What happens after the bad guy's beat? What if we can't do it? Do I really have any strength? All of these sad, angry thoughts that aren't like me. Pinocchimon, he-" His right arm started to shake and Takeru reflexively grabbed his wrist. "He played with me until I didn't want to play anymore and I don't think I've ever been scared like that about anything."  _Not even losing you._

Yamato reached out to his little brother, who suddenly looked even younger and yet older than eight. But Takeru lifted his head and raised a small fist. "But being back here, it means I'm here for a reason. I'm still alive 'cause I kept fighting and I can't... I just can't waste that." He twiddled his thumbs. "Not that, and not Hikari-chan's death either." The obvious comment went unspoken as Hikari sat up and held Takeru's hand in both of hers. "I decided to keep going with Angemon's egg, after all. I can't just sit and cry because the world is hurting me. It's hurting everyone, right Onii-chan?"

"Can we fight?" Yamato, sitting there, didn't know if he was asking his brother, the others here, or the Chosen that were missing. Maybe he was even asking himself.

"We have to," Takeru said, wiping dirt from his hair. "Onii-chan, I went back home for a couple of days." Yamato's throat constricted. How bad was it? Were their parents still alive? The questions were likely all over his face. I wasn't there long enough to see everyone but... the world is bad. Digimon are everywhere, people are dying. An entire apartment got crushed by a Digimon, half the city was torn up... and that was just  _home_." He looked up, like he could see their Earth through the tree trunk. "People are dying, Onii-chan, and it's all our fault!"

Yamato bristled at the blanketed accusation. "It is not our fault! We're kids!"

"We're the Chosen Children!" Takeru shouted back and Yamato couldn't help it, he shrank at the fire in Takeru's glare. "We should have been able to do something! We acted like this was like Etemon or  _Devimon_  but it wasn't! We were wrong! We screwed it up, Onii-chan! We saw what Vamdemon was like, we should have known! But we didn't! We  _chose_  to go back! How is it not our fault? How are all those dead Digimon and dead friends and all of that destruction not our fault?"

"It shouldn't have been our responsibility in the first place!" For a moment, it was like arguing with Taichi after Hikari had died, when his eyes were faraway, cold with hatred and more reckless impulses than even Koushiro could temper. Takeru had the same look, only more intent, harsher because it was coming from his once-crybaby little brother.

What had happened to him? Or had Takeru always been this way?

Yamato took a deep breath. "Takeru, we're kids, it's not like we asked for this-"

"You wouldn't have returned if you hadn't," Andrea interrupted smoothly and Yamato scowled at her.

Takeru, however, looked nothing less than triumphant. "We did ask, by the end. We left the Digital World behind to protect the Eighth Child and then we went back to fix that when we didn't  _have to_. Up until then, we didn't have to, but now we do. And we should. If we don't, Mom and everyone else..." His eyes watered. "They're definitely gonna die, Onii-chan!" He began to crawl out of their hiding place. "And I don't want to have them die because I was  _scared_."

Yamato watched him go, and stared at his young back. It was easy for Takeru to say that, he still had his partner, even if he wasn't here right now. He hadn't had to listen to the others or anything. He had been out. He could believe.

Yet... why was his brother so much stronger than he was?

…

The ride up was smooth for all of ten minutes, if that long. Ivy kept saying the time in the two worlds was out-of-sync or something, supposedly because of the crazies ruling the world in the sky being too powerful for their own good. Really, that was too much potential metaphysics for one middle-schooler to comprehend at one time.

Especially when they started falling to their deaths. He couldn't even see the sky pass him, his eyes watered with tears from the wind. The panic set in for a grand total of nearly a minute before a pair of arms swung to grab him by the chest and pull him upright.

Erin grunted. "Damn man, how does Ivy  _carry_ you? You look like a pole but you feel like an elephant."

Sayri gave a breezy, slightly crazed laugh. "It's not my fault you're not a mule-for-brains!"

"I am not a mule!" Ivy protested with a small giggle. "I'm just a strong girl!"

"With all of the concentration of a fly," Teri mumbled in a hazy voice, to which the others laughed, except Ivy, who gave a thick pout.

She then proceeded to spin in the air, adjusting Teri so it was more like she was piggybacking the younger one rather than preventing a messy death. "Ne, Eri, I didn't know you could fly."

 _She didn't?_ These guys had been around each other for what looked like years and Ivy of all people didn't know Erin could fly? Sayri felt something brush against his back as Erin adjusted their grip. Unlike Ivy, Erin couldn't piggyback him a second time. Sayri felt his arm jerks against that same something from before and Erin muffled a small hiss of pain. Sayri felt his face flush. This was awkward.

Erin, however, seemed to ignore it. "I can't tell you all of my secrets," they teased with a laugh. "I'm not very good as it is. Besides, doing this sort of thing takes energy I could use for fights, right?"

Sayri, since Erin actually seemed to be in a mood that bypassed all the cryptic babble, almost opened his mouth to ask about... well, what he's feeling against his back. Because if those are breasts, he owes Erin a  _big_ apology. But after a few moments of them slowly dropping (which is weird considering they were just floating), he decided not to. It wasn't really all that important if Erin was a male or female, or someone else. He would just ask about pronouns in private later.

However, Ivy, being Ivy, must have read his mind or something, grinned like a cat.  _"Eri,_ I think he noticed."

Sayri turned red and Erin glanced at him. Asteria let out a soft sigh. "Ivy, that was tactless."

"So?"

"I-I was trying to avoid talking about it," Sayri muttered, shaking his head. "Ivy, you have a peeping mind."

"Not my thought you think so loudly," she shot back and Erin muffled a snort. Jade looked between them all, as if concerned.

Then Erin cleared their throat and sighed. "Yes, those are what you think they are. It's complicated."

"Uh..." Sayri squirmed, but not enough to be dropped. "Just tell me who you are right now... I'll figure out the rest later. Don't really care anyway. You guys have done disturbing stuff, this doesn't really count."

Jade gave an approving nod as Erin thought. He could feel the other chewing on their lip until they replied. "Girl. I just like your jeans better... and your salary."

"Your jeans have pockets!" Ivy explained with mirth and Sayri snorted.

"I think that's missin' the point." Then he clicked his tongue. "All right, girl, got it. Anything else?"

Erin cackled. "Hang on," she said, "We've going for a ride!" And she pitched forward and they were soon all diving almost as fast as they had been falling. Erin laughed like it was the end of the world, and the air whooshed in and out of his lungs almost without his permission.

"Are you sure I'm not gonna die?"

Erin and the others somehow managed to share smirks through the wind. "How do you think we got here the first time when we were kids?" Ivy asked, gleefully giggling. "Do we look that young to you?"

"Yes!" he admitted, looking lost.

"Well, here's some guesswork for you my friend." Ivy grinned. "We came here back in 1994. Before that squirt you saved, that princess, and whatever idiots screwed up the world like it is now! We didn't have that fancy device you broke. We got in the hard and slow way." She adjusted her grip to point to the gray ocean and forest, that now seemed to be spreading the more he watched. "That crazy sea. And now it's spreading where everyone can see it."

"And that's the scariest damn thing," Erin said, spitting in the air. "Because that place is what humans fear the most. The things that make your scents so appetizing, the things they block off and hide away and are ashamed of, all of them and more are trapped in that world."

"How long were you guys in there?" Just looking at it as they slid past cloud formations and towards trees made Sayri feel nauseous, angry, and frightened in the same grueling cement stomach pit.

"One of us was only there for five years," Erin said softly. "But one of us was there for almost thirty, lost, unaging, with no one to save them. And that was Andy."

She reached and gripped Sayri's wrist briefly with one hand, demanding silently for it to click in his head. "Do you understand why we have to save her now?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! A quick Erin explanation. Erin is genderfluid. Her status has been fluctuating in my head the entire story and that's eventually what she decided on. Her perception of her own gender has a tendency to change and for most of the story, she's felt like a boy but as of recently, she's preferred to be considered a girl. Anyone who is genderfluid and reading this, any corrections and tips will be appreciated. My experience is limited in this regard to the feelings I've had.


	20. Sky-Blue Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The delay on this is incredible and I am super sorry for it. My brain had a block on this for months. Then, when the school year started again, bam! chapters done like nobody's business. I'm still aiming to finish it before it's been up for two years because I'm just that much of a weirdo. Again, I am sorry for how long this took and I hope for it to not take so long again. Until then, here goes! bunch of stuff in this chapter. Please let me know what you think!

Sayri was getting used to flying, or well, being carried like an oversized sack of flour. (He seriously hoped his growth spurt was over, but considering his dad approached nigh-on two meters tall...) It was almost fun despite the fact that they were tens of thousands of meters in the air. Then, his pocket sparked and he felt a wave of pain run down his face through his legs. Bile rose up in his mouth and he vomited before he could stop himself.

Patamon wrinkled his nose. "Ewww! Glad that wasn't pointed at me!"

Ivy groaned. "Sayri, can't you be airsick on the  _ground_?" She was flying away from him as carefully as possible without outright running away.

"Ain't that against the name?" Sayri managed to fire back, voice a croak. He had no desire to know where that had gone. He sagged in Erin's grip. forgetting for a moment that he was trapped in the air.. "I was cool earlier..."

Erin glanced the others over. "Ivy, take Patamon and scout a safe place to land. Let Jade know where."

Ivy swapped who she was holding with Jade and shot Erin a pout. "I don't know mind magic!"

Erin roed her eyes. "If you're telling me that guy  _wasn't_  peeking into our minds by the end, you're a bad liar. You're in my head half the day. Scat!"

Ivy grumbled and dropped out of sight, ignoring Patamon's shriek of terror.

Sayri managed to gulp down some more air, looking around at them all. "That guy?"

"Wizarmon, mage Digimon, pain in the ass," Erin supplied, beginning to descend slowly. "Like most Digimon really."

Jade tittered behind his hand and Sayri snorted, then groaned as his nose dripped blood. "Okay, the hell now?"

"We are high up in the atmosphere," Teri mumbled. Her airy voice sounded like the lower pitches of a train whistle. " _That_ , I expected a while ago."

"And you guys aren't gonna be freaking... okay, never mind." Knowing them, this was one of those uncomfortable subjects no one like to think about.

"It's a trippy as hell built-in...  _thing_ ," Erin replied, seeing the blue ocean clash with the grey. "If she drops us in that hellhole..."

"Not even Ivy is that much of a prankster," Teri murmured. "But it would make it easier to find Andy."

Jade made a noise like the gurgling of a drain and Eri laughed. "What he said."

"Guys, can we get down?" Sayri moaned. "I still feel sick."

Jade pointed and they took off again. "Hold in what's left of your stomach," Erin warned and Sayri tried his best to do as asked. When they made it to the ground, he did retch again, however, and for the first time, was very glad Dakota was not here.

"There blood in it?" Ivy asked with an innocent smile. Sayri managed to glower at her, trying to breathe.

"You could  _pretend_ to be concerned." Though nauseous, his words were somewhat playful because he had to think about something other than the fact that he felt like pure crap.

"That  _was_  concern!"

"Could have fooled me," Erin muttered. "Go hunt down Andy and the others and bring 'em over, Ivy. Quicker we get them outta there the better."

Ivy didn't object to this order, hurrying off with Patamon under one arm. Sayri grimaced, scooting away from where he had been sick to sit under a tree. He still felt like he wanted to upchuck his kidneys somehow, but the effort alone of doing that would probably kill him. He watched through squinted eyes as Teri curled up under a tree, back to sleep in seconds. He couldn't really blame her. Super healing or no, she had probably gotten less sleep in these past few weeks than ever in her life.

He laid his head back, trying to ignore the noise from his digestive system in hopes of getting rest of his own. Then he heard something pop by his ear. Jade was flicking heart-shaped bubbles in his direction, a smile quirking his lips. "That doesn't help with nausea bro, but thanks." Then one popped in front of his nose. "Hey!" Well, okay that one helped.

Erin snickered at him. "He's just trying to cheer you up. Can't be nice having that psycho in a link with you."

"Is that what this is?" He put his head on his knees. "And I thought  _my_  setting was constantly at 'pissed off'."

"It was, but you turned the dial down," Erin said with a grin. "So he has to make up for it."

Sayri groaned. "That  _bastard_."

"Your partner, man. Decide what to do with him."

"Screw you."

"Jade would be mad if you did."

Jade blew a raspberry to prove Erin's point.

Sayri rolled his eyes and decided to just shut up. No matter who Eri was, she would always get a nice kick out of poking fun at him. He moved to sit and watch the ocean and pray that the pirate flag of evil would calm down until they could muster up the energy to find him. Then, well, he had no clue what was going to happen next, other than it was probably gonna suck.

Well, at least it wasn't  _him_  smelling funny this time. Thank god for small favors.

"You're dying."

MetalSeadramon's voice resounded in his ears from above, like a parent over a grounded child. Below him, Megadramon made a feeble attempt at slithering up from the grey sand and his metal claws betrayed him, crackling and dropping back down, leaving him to wriggle against the sand. Megadramon snapped at the air.

"No thanks to you," he finally rasped.

"Well, you never asked, now did you?" MetalSeadramon deigned his servant with a look. "Considering your... less than stellar occupancy at the moment, are you really in a good position to be hurling accusations at me?"

_Traitor._

He was in a perfect position to be angry. His master had not told him, had not  _warned_  him, had not reminded him of the truths he would forget when he evolved. Instead, he had let the hunger take root, the addiction to death and hunger and loathing a three course meal made of ashes.

How dare he just hover there and be so... _impertinent?_

Was Megadramon himself truly so replaceable to the rulers of the world? A factory product with a killing instinct? After all he had done for them!

How dare they just abandon me?

"If I recall properly,  _you_  were the one who fled."

Megadramon cursed himself for speaking aloud. It was so-

"Weak of you, yes." MetalSeadramon seemed to smile, spinning slowly in the air. "And foolish, but I did borrow you from Mugendramon. His servants aren't well-known for their intelligence."

He... what?

"Oh goodness, you really  _don't_ recall a thing, do you?" MetalSeadramon lowered himself to peer down at his servant more fully. "I suppose Piemon's tricks are very, shall we say,  _effective_ on the right mind, but i have to wonder if you have a brain or not?"

"Shut up!"

MetalSeadramon smiled. "What, can't take a little criticism?" The air grew still in answer, murky with sulky refusal to voice the petulant jibe growing in the other's throat. Only when the wind blew, shaking the splintered metal as it breezed over them, did MetalSeadramon speak again, more abruptly. "Would you like me to kill you?"

Megadramon began another attempt at lifting himself into the air and crashed into the ground again at his words. "What?"

MetalSeadramon made a movement like a shrug. "Are you losing your hearing?"

"Did you just…  _threaten_  me?"

Even weak from lack of blood, he could still sound indignant as a huffy child, MetalSeadramon couldn't help but muse. As though his master could not threaten his life when it became worthless. The serpent was starting to think keeping humans overinflated Digimon's sense of self-importance. He tutted. "Oh, no, no… I merely gave you a recommended course of action."

"That was a threat!" The snarl was followed by painful coughs a few seconds later.

"Whatever you want to call it. You're not going to last much longer here as it is, particularly in this Ocean." MetalSeadramon lifted his golden head, staring at the clouds only distinguished by the shade of grey they were compared to the sky. He snorted. "This place makes the flesh beneath my scales burn. Are you sure you don't wish to die?"

"Not without... killing you first."

"Then do so in your illusions. Farewell."  _Are all servants so worthless?_

 _Yeah,_  sniggered a voice.  _Cause all_ you  _feed them is fear._

The voice in his head sounded rather like Pinocchimon.

He didn't much like that.

Meanwhile, Megadramon began to rise again. His golden eyes were squeezed shut from the effort and blood, though the flow was slowing from the scabbing wounds, his ascent was dizzy and lopsided. Only when he had managed to pass the trees entirely did the dragon begin to drift.

He would not die. Not to this, not to him. Not to a lack of power.

He didn't need anyone.

Shame and hunger bubbled in his insides as noise began to clamor in his head. He did need, he did want.

His. His to chew, to claim.

His meat, his power.

The scent. He had to find it. Earth was too far, it would come to him. He would make it! He would. The hunger would be gone then, forever gone, forever sated

Whatever the human, the meal had dared to make him suffer, he wouldn't allow it!

Roaring desperation and triumph and hunger, Megadramon began to fly once more.

To gouge the desire from his body, to end the shameless mockery... to kill.

Yes, to kill and be free.

Yamato's eye twitched once, then twice. "You're pulling my leg."

Andrea rolled her eyes. "For the fifth time, I'm telling you I can't lie. Programming issue. I can dance around the truth like a ballerina with a stage prop, but there's no way I'd be able to lie about this. Also, it wouldn't do me any good to tell you a long lie while we're stuck in a Digital Space, would it?"

Yamato gave her a sardonic snort. It was easier, if minutely, to rein in his temper when he could manage to doubt her intelligence like she did his. "We've been stuck in the Digital World for months on end, never heard crap about there being any other Chosen Children running around."

Takeru looked between the two of them as they walked. He was so tired now, but to say so would get Yamato into some other mood and him being this… fussy? was bad enough. He wanted to ask why but, he had already fought his brother once today… and he hated fighting family.

Besides, he had a bit of a point. They  _hadn't_ heard anything before, not even from Gennai.  _Not that he's all that trustworthy_ anyway, he thought, lips twisting into a sour grimace.

Andrea snorted. "I'm not surprised you have no idea. Time passes and people are forgotten and I expect the world's changed in the centuries since we were there. Time is funny there, after all."

Takeru half-wondered if she was sounding this lofty on purpose, but then, seeing Yamato digging his gloved hands into his palms, he supposed he couldn't blame her.

"That aside," Andrea paused, lifting her nose and sniffing a bit. "I guess it's a good thing. That means what we did back then didn't go to waste after all." She let her lips lift into the faintest of smiles, looking a bit bashful, and then sobered again. "Doesn't change the curse of a problem we're in at this point, I'm afraid…"

"What did you do?" Takeru jumped in before Yamato could. Because now he was curious! They had gotten in right, somehow, no one had needed any humans around before the eight of them after. So… so, this was probably what Erin had meant.  _But where are their partners then?_

Andrea shrugged. "Same as you, I expect. Fought alongside our Digimon, we did. Rather had to, not likin'all them fangs near our eyes. Mite hard to do that now, since we're both existing as the same being, but we get along nice, I suppose. Not quite dead again, as yet."

" _How?"_

"Do you have a tail too?"

Andrea laughed at the latter question from Takeru, spinning around a tree root. "Used to. I've had my song and dance enough times to know how to make it disappear. Had nice furry ears too! Much too much of a fuss for anyone to handle. Hers will go the same I expect."

She gestured at Hikari, who was moving ahead of them. The girl turned back, having heard Andrea speak, and looked a little put-out. "I  _like_ my ears," she said.

Takeru burst into giggles and Andrea hid a smile. "Aye, but society doesn't, lass."

" _How?"_

Yamato's voice had risen this time, face twisted with anger and Andrea stopped and whirled to face him. Her red eyes flashed and she looked poised, not for an argument, but to attack.

"Did it ever occur to you that the answer is something I don't like recalling?" she said, voice low, and Takeru shied back, even as Yamato squared his shoulders and stayed firm. "Does it ever register in your desperate, feeble,  _human_  mind that you  _aren't_  the only one with skeletons in their closet? Or, perhaps, are you simply too much of an insipid twat to not understand the answer is laid out before you if you only look for it?"

"And what the hell would that be?" Yamato scowled. "I don't know you, I don't trust you."

She laughed and Takeru hated the sound, sharp and husky, like a glacier spear. "Oh,  _do_  think past your nose. If the little girl and her partner died and the little girl comes back with the partner wrapped around her like a shawl and fire on her hands, how do you  _think_ we did it? You're rather lucky it was only  _one_  of you!"

Andrea left them then, striding ahead with each hair standing on end like an agitated animal.

Takeru wilted slowly, catching up to Hikari, who peered at him in confusion. He took her hand, and wished Patamon was there instead.

Yamato was shaking his head slowly. He was thinking hard and then a defeated sigh left his lips.

"I'm acting like Taichi used to…"

"Used to?" Takeru's voice seemed to quiver a bit and Yamato smiled to wave it off. The gesture hurt his mouth.

"I haven't seen him in a while, Takeru, but you remember right? How angry it all got…"  _Because of me…_

Takeru seemed to understand and went to walk a bit faster.

Yamato turned his thoughts inward and smiled a little again. Taichi was probably fine, even if he wasn't. They would have seen him if he was like that girl by now… he knew how to make an entrance and wouldn't have left them in those cells anyway. Taichi had to be fine.

His stomach curdled as a loud howl bayed through the air and shook the trees.

But were  _they_  going to be all right?

…

Sayri watched the blue ocean roll by. It was so quiet, almost peaceful. He had to wonder if it was some big, cosmic joke. Probably.

Teri trotted her way over to him, then doubled back. She looked better, at least as far as Sayri could tell, being about as much of a medical expert as a dead fish. He saw Erin fiddling with Jade's clothes and flushed. "Oi, guys, timing!"

Jade cackled at this and Erin actually turned red. "He's going for a swim, idiot!" she shouted, looking both embarrassed and amused.

"Then he can't undress himself?" Sayri looked pointedly back at the water, which was now beginning to foam. "You sure he should even go in there?"

"He's a water baby, don't worry about him," Erin replied as she took Jade's sweater.

Sayri raised an eyebrow. "Well, if big, scary pirate flag is coming, no offense but you and Teri being the only ones covering my behind isn't that comforting."

Teri pretended to look offended.

Erin scoffed as Jade trotted into the water, grinning to himself. "He's your partner. Who said we're helping? We tried that once. Didn't end too great." She waved a hand. "Nah, Ouroboros is your demon to slay."

Sayri rolled his eyes. Andrea would have probably jumped at the chance to battle a giant dragon with torpedo launchers for hands. "How am I gonna do that?"

"Think about it long enough and form a hypothesis."

Sayri thought about it, staring at the cracked Digivice. Then he wrinkled his nose. " _Eww…"_

"Suits you though," she told him, grinning cheekily. "Neh, Ouroboros?"

It was the first time the name had been directly applied to him, and just imagining it sent a chill up his spine.

" _I'm sorry, your son is simply too violent for-"_

" _I ain't violent! They coulda killed Haru! I saw 'em! Leggo o' me!"_

Sayri put the thoughts away. "Yeah," he said, looking towards the lying blue sky. "Yeah, I guess so."

Devourer, decimator, ruin-bringer, destroyer of his own dreams.

He guessed this was one of those times where things had to be broken before they were made better.


	21. This Beautiful, Cruel World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing is the bane of my existence. On the upside, the subplot now sounds much better. Anyway, this is about the point where I originally decided that this part of the fic was going to happen. Sorry for the delay, I am so excited to be getting slowly closer to the end. Well, until next time! Please sit back and drop a few words in the shiny review box if you don't mind. Have fun!
> 
> Warnings: Cursing (one use of the f-bomb), slightly graphic descriptions of violence. Other than that, reference to drug use and that's it. Later!

In his ocean, MetalSeadramon drifted, pondering a massacre.

The current issue: who was to be eviscerated first? Who was going to be chewed like rats for a starving man and who was simply going to become ash? All of them were going to  _die_ , of course, that was the path set for the weak, but he had to be precise, not all of them deserved for it to be  _clean._

Naturally, the serpent did not bother to ponder if he'd be able to kill them at all. That much was obvious.

He was not a  _piece_. He was not a pawn. He was the player; he was the highest point. He was at the top.

 _Piemon…_ perhaps, even though the very idea was against his desire to ruin the clown and leave him to the sea to be eroded, killing him immediately would be an easier method to prevent any more tricks, anymore games and tauntings. Of course Mugendramon was first; he was too loyal for his own good (to the wrong person, no less!) and would simply be a nuisance.

So… second, then. Though first might be easier, Mugdendramon could be dodged...

He swam to the edge of his ocean (as if water had an edge, an  _end_!) and slapped the grey murk running beside his pristine blue sea. The splash of grey water struck his body and sent agony up his scales, armor suddenly heavier than he remembered. Hissing fury, he drew away, swimming from the boundary like a cat touched by water.

_How undignified._

MetalSeadramon cursed his conscience as he rose from the water. He didn't need it to sound like Piemon either!

"Accursed depth dweller," he sneered. "Rot-feeder!" He knew that he was not the epitome of goodness, that would be boring, but the acid water of that Ocean was enough to make him sick. "Lacks any power if it isn't stolen from someone else…"

The same could not be said about himself, it  _could no_ t. He had crushed so many in the wake of these dark days he had yearned for, it would not take much to do so again. And again. As many times as it took. Perhaps he would start with the Chosen Children, or what was left of them. All but the one, who had vanished just before Pinocchimon's death. He wondered about that one, everyone knew the dangers of having  _hope_ after all.

Though perhaps not as much as  _courage_.

Well, that would hardly be a problem now.

"MetalSeadramon-sama!"

The voice, squeaky and muffled by bubbles, came from beneath him, a Hangyomon brandishing his spear. "An intruder in the sea, sir! They're fighting with a crew of the soldiers as we speak!"

He smiled to himself. An appetizer? "Send the rest to create a hunt. Where there's one, more can be around."

"Aye sir!"

In the distance, he swore he heard a scream of agony and rage in the distance. MetalSeadramon laughed.  _Oh, Airdramon child… a tool until the end._

...

"Do you smell them?"

Patamon pouted from his place in Ivy's arms. All he could smell was dragon scales. Burnt ones, and something like flesh. Basically all he could smell was something  _gross_.

"You have the better nose than me," he pointed out, slightly huffy.

Ivy chortled. "Well, he's your partner!" she said, rolling away from a large bough. Patamon wished he could fly like this. But only Angemon could do that. Ivy kicked in the air at the sound of a nearby roar, throwing them both into the cover of a bush. Patamon curled his large ears against his head and shivered, wanting the noise to simply go away. It was dying, whoever that what. They were dying, and they were sad and scared and didn't want to die.

Patamon remembered that feeling from Takeru a few times. During those months, he had thought that, and it had been ugly and bright and cold, a sputtering torch.

The sound of gnashing fangs and pained roars burst from the dragon as it swam overhead, not for the first time. They had had to hide so many times. This time, drops of saliva hit the ground right near their hiding place and the ground hissed. For a few moments, Ivy went completely still and Patamon's wings beat against her stomach. There was a nasty smile playing about her lips and he stared at her.

"Don't! We'll get caught!" Seriously, this woman was not okay!

Ivy didn't answer until the dragon was gone. "It was just a little prank," she protested, smiling all the wider.

"No pranks!" Patamon said, plopping to the ground and preparing to trot on, no matter how long it would take. "They take too long!"

Ivy rolled her eyes and picked him up, taking off again. "It's soon then, however it's gonna happen," she said, smile shifting to a frown. "You do not wanna be taking that much time to walk if he gets flyin' back here." She chewed on her lip, flipping and spinning from something he couldn't see, though he heard it, a squelch like footsteps in a mud puddle. "It's gonna be a mess," she said to herself. "Like Andy, I bet, all of that bein' mad and sad and not being able to let it out...the others better be ready."

Patamon frowned at her, turning blue eyes to the area ahead. "I don't want that to happen to Takeru," he said in a tiny, almost forgettable voice. "I don't want to do that to him."

"You won't have to," she insisted, frown slipping into pouty lips and hurt eyes.

"But you did," Patamon insisted and now wondered why Hikari couldn't smell it, why Hikari simply couldn't recognize it. Maybe she didn't want to, maybe she was afraid to because of the memories that came with him but Patamon knew that scent, he'd been stuck with him while he was wet for hours. "He did. I know he did. You're old, you all smell old, but you smell like him and he wasn't that old! I know!" He didn't know where the words came from but this was the only way he made it make sense. "He was Tailmon's friend! He-You- saved her! And now you're here! How can I not do it to Takeru if you did it and you are here? What if the others do it? They're in a bad place, they're scared too! Couldn't they do it?"

Ivy was quiet for a few moments, not dodging anything, not looping or humming or wearing that smile. He could only see her nose and mouth from under the cover of her bangs. "A long time ago," she said, voice low. "I was in the Digital World. I was human once. He was kind to me. He called me his lamb instead of witch, one of the many lambs. One day, he decided the lambs needed to be sacrificed to the wrath of the angry god. He prepared the ceremony and I cursed him. I cursed him with every breath I had left. I cursed him with a heart of stone, a body of straw."

Patamon remembered his weak steps, Wizarmon's stubborn clinging to life though he was already dying.

"What was he like?" Ivy asked, lips curling again. "My Wizarmon…"

"I didn't know him," Patamon admitted, sniffing the air. There was a faint blood-scent, somewhere on the ground. "He died for Tailmon, and…"

"And now that person died anyway, and doesn't really remember them." Ivy snorted. "He can't hear them anymore anyway. Too busy plotting and thinking of right and wrong and what is good over what is not." She sighed and mussed her scraggly hair. "I told him to not confuse selflessness with self-righteousness. He always did, never listened to me, and I cursed him." She shrugged. "Well, he paid for it, I guess. And so did I."

For a moment, she hovered in mid-air, looking around with sweeping glances. Then she said. "Which way?"

Patamon lifted his nose and pointed with one tiny paw. They flew on in silence, but the world around them still spoke, whimpers and howls joining hands with slithering, splashing footsteps.

Like predators lazed from gluttony.

Patamon hoped that their friends weren't the meal.

…

Unfortunately for our little, loveable partner, he jinxed his friends. Badly.

With another exhilarated shout, Andrea laughed and backpedaled. She spun around a tree, practically singing. The words she sang were not Japanese and each one sounded sweet, delighted. Above her, large paws batted and swung. A missile dove for her head and she swung herself to the side, singing with joy. Her formerly healing arm was bleeding afresh, almost dangling from its socket. Though, from the wild expression on her face, that only seemed to make it even better.

From her vantage point on a tree branch, Hikari lashed her tail, claws digging into the wood. BlackMetalGarurumon would be so easy to hit, he was everywhere! But she could also hit Andrea,moving, it made her ears twitch. Fighting was hard. She risked a glance at the humans below her. Takeru was staring up at the sky, as though expecting something to come careening from above.

_Perfectly likely._

Tailmon's voice was more active now. Hikari both liked it and disliked it because her thoughts were so whirly and unhappy in this place. She looked down at Yamato, who was… pale? She could smell him from here, poisoned cedar and blackberries and blood. Not a good combination. But he didn't stop watching BlackMetalGarurumon, though his eyes seemed to sink into his skull the longer the battle went on. He muttered under his breath, clutching at his injured arm.

Hikari looked away. Maybe this place hurt his heart too.

"Come on sweetie," Andrea crooned. "Is this your best hand? Come now, put on a show!" She moved forward, swinging down with one arm. BlackMetalGarurumon's paw struck her head, and she raised her other arm, swiping blood at the enemy's eyes.

Yamato doubled over when the other screamed, clutching at his face and scrabbling at it, as though his gloves could wipe off acid. "Get it off," he croaked, trying to wipe the feeling away.

Takeru moved to pull his hands away to examine him. "Onii-chan," he said slowly. "There's nothing there."

Hikari saw the wolf spin, and without thinking, dove from the tree, knocking Yamato and Takeru back down into the bush. Torpedoes flew through the air, one sending her flying into another tree. She coughed and groaned. Okay, that had hurt. Flopping to the ground, Hikari righted herself and lunged for his back, fists burning. She swung and missed, hitting the soil and rolling to the side.

BlackMetalGarurumon turned from Andrea entirely, springing on Hikari. She made a wailing noise, body making a sickening crack. Hikari squirmed and twisted, only for the paw to press down again. A whimpering noise left the wolf's twisting gears as Andrea leaped on top of it, stabbing into the spine. It roared and swung her off. She went rolling and tried to stand, but with only one mobile arm, it wasn't working as well.

Yamato made a noise in his throat, pulling away from Takeru. He forced himself up. Takeru grabbed his hand to pull him back, but Yamato escaped him, running to try and pry the leg off of Hikari's chest. The Digimon froze and Yamato mentally sighed in relief. "Just a sec, Hikari-chan," he managed. "We'll get you out…" He gave Andrea a tiny, weak nod, the closest thing to an apology he could manage. She returned it, slashing again.

Hikari tried to nod, chest heaving. Takeru moved to grab her hands and tugged. Her lips twisted, but she attempted to dig her heels up into the monster's metal paw.

BlackMetalGarurumon didn't seem to feel it this time, staring at Yamato like he hadn't seen him before. Yamato stared right back, forcing himself not to blink.

"Gabumon…" Yamato wet his lips, feeling the large limb shift around his arms, drawing back, ready to throw him. But the red eyes remained locked and all movement stopped. He took a slow breath, trying to think, to word the mess in his head.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, trying to bury every mixed up word and thought and feeling into that simple phrase.

The clearing was silent.

Then his partner's jaws opened. "You…" it croaked. "Ya...ma...to…"

His stomach began to churn as BlackMetalGarurumon lifted the paw pinning Hikari to the ground, raising himself on his hind legs.

"Murderer…" his partner said in a soft voice, lowering himself to all fours. Light gathered in his mouth. "Kill… ed… him…"

Takeru froze and Hikari almost fell backwards while trying to stand.

Yamato nodded. "Yeah. I am."

He could pretend otherwise, if he wanted to. He could keep thinking that maybe he had survived the fall.

But no one could have survived that drop. Not even Taichi.

He was almost happy when his vision was obscured by blue.

…

Sayri felt his stomach churn. "Oh  _shit_ …" God damn it, it was like he had taken a nice long whiff of sulfur before he had sat down. This really needed to end or he'd puke up his stomach, intestines, and somehow his prostate. And then he'd be dead. Well, more dead. He needed to be a little more morbid about this.

Erin shot him a sympathetic look, but didn't move. Teri's head was resting in her lap and the girl was way too comfortable to be moved. "Have the shiny?"

Sayri pulled the device from his pocket, peering at the blank screen. "This thing still gonna work? Looks like someone let their dog chew on it…"

"It will if you will," Erin said with a chuckle,fingers ghosting over Teri's white and gold hair.

Sayri snorted. "So, no pressure." He tossed the device up and down, gaze going to watch the water again. "Jade gonna be all right down there?"

"Like I said," Erin replied with a hum. "Jade's a water baby. He'll be better off than you. He'll be a while, though. Ocean this big… he's gotta take his time. Make sure he doesn't miss anything good."

"By good, she means a fight," Teri mumbled in a sleepy, childlike voice.

Erin huffed. "He has fun, all right?"

"He had fun getting high too," Teri said, adjusting her spot. "Still life threatening."

"Don't remind me."

Sayri let out a weak laugh. That wasn't even a shocker at this point.  _Jade would probably smoke pot better than a stereotypical college student…_ He wondered if Jade would be offended by that thought and then cringed in pain. "This… stupid…" The device in his hand started to squawk, small screen flickering gold. "He's close… I swear I can smell his breath."

Erin and Teri regarded him and he took a step back. Yeah, getting them in the crossfire was probably not the best idea. "You'd know better than us."

They had a point there… Sayri shut his eyes and thought of the pain. Well, first, it hurt like nobody's business. Second, the people with him right now had been there, done that, and they were still here. So there had to be something, even if it was a something by pure dumb luck.

_There was nothing in that social anxiety thingy that said friends had to hurt each other._

But they wouldn't be here if they hadn't been hurt somehow.

Well, it was too late for what-ifs and conspiracy theories anyway.

The throb in his chest grew, destroying the nausea and spreading out with a scorpions clicking feet. He bit his lip, tasting liquid copper. The burn slithered up his neck and into his eyes. Flames singed the air, sparking from fingers and feet and smoking up the air. Ern didn't blink, even as Teri had closed her eyes again. Sayri tried to ignore it because all it was doing compared to the pain was a tingle.

Sayri took a deep breath. "Hey, pirate flag!" he shouted, body trembling with the shaking sand. Well, he was trying to be brave. Bravery was ending up being nothing but standing up while pissing yourself. He was starting to realize that anyway. "Over here, Bluebeard! You ready or am I coming for you?"

He watched the dragon's head turn in to the distance, a speck moving too fast to be a cloud. Then it rushed, and he could see the flaxen gaze. They didn't simply glow, they were practically lanterns of rare metal for tinder. Hunger, he was starving now, more than he had been the last time. He dripped red all over with half-sealed wounds, streaks of red over his remaining scales.

 _This is supremely fucked up,_  Sayri thought, lifting his head to the point of neck strain. "Come on scale-breath, ain't ya droolin' over there? No soy sauce or nothing, but I'm probably crunchy, right?"

Megadramon's fangs glowed in the sun, glimmering white, and he snapped at the air. "My. Little.  _Morsel_." His voice was a sweet croon, probably like Dracula when he had the woman in his arms. "At last you accept your fate!"

"Aw cram it!" Sayri shouted. Even from this distance, he could almost clearly make out Megadramon's leer. He swallowed as the dragon moved closer. He refused to look away. Not a chance in hell.

With a splash, tblood struck the ocean, dotting the sand with Megadramon's blood. More fell, he shran back, breathing harsh and raspy. green lines read through black gaps where the body should have been.

It was almost a pitiable sight for such a large dragon. Sayri had no sympathy.

He made himself look at that one large eye. "Down here, ugly," he said, holding the device in both hands, its glow almost escaping him.

The Digivice flashed as Megadramon lunged. Then Sayri was up in the air , surrounded by blue and white and spinning enough to almost wish he had something left to hurl.

Then all he saw was an endless sea of black.


	22. Episode Twenty Two: Blood Red Oath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if this is the last upload for today or not. I'll see how much sanity I have left. Anyway, I am sorry this took so long. It wasn't Jade this time, I swear! It was honestly Yamato, who needed me to start smoothing that character development, which went way off of the original draft. I don't mind. I think this version is better than before. I hope it was. tired... Anyway, sorry for the wait, please read and review!
> 
> Someone please tell me if my Yamato is making sense. He's a character I admit to struggling with.

Takeru regarded the situation, thoughts whirring. The claw raised higher, and Takeru pushed himself forward, using his tiny weight to knock his brother to the ground. Yamato hit the ground with an oof of pain. He blinked up at Takeru, who looked almost nauseous. His blue eyes were as cold.

He could understand that. He knew his brother, Takeru would be mad at him for killing someone, especially someone who was supposed to be his friend.

"Takeru..."

"Why...?"

His voice shook and Yamato blinked. Water was dripping down to his face. No, not water. Tears.

"Takeru..."

"Why did you just stand there?!"

Yamato blinked again, and he shook his head. "I…" Why had he not moved? Why had he just stood there?

"Onii-chan…" Takeru pulled away from him, little hands scratched and bleeding afresh. The sight alone made him feel ill. "I..." He swallowed. "Taichi-san would have hit you for that."

Yamato stared, gobsmacked, then he snickered. He collapsed on his side, laughing until his arm screamed at him to roll off. Takeru watched him, waiting for him to stop.

If he was going to be honest, he wasn't surprised. He was barely even horrified. "It…" When he spoke again, Yamato's laughter faltered. "It was an accident, right?" He remembered the falling out. Hikari was gone, Mimi-san and Jyou-san were unsteady, no, everyone was unsteady. Looking back, Takeru couldn't remember if his brother had seen it or not, the mania that possessed Taichi on those days. He probably hadn't, so worried with Takeru. He still didn't know what to feel about that.

" _You can't expect me to give up my brother!"_

" _I'm asking you to help me protect him!"_

" _This won't save anyone!"_

" _I don't see you trying!"_

The arguments were shouts, if they had any sense at that point, they would have been quiet, hidden it just a bit longer. But they weren't quiet, and maybe that was why everything had fallen apart. They got caught in their world of each other and hating each other and everything else, and by the time they had looked up again, they were the only ones left.

And then it was only natural, after driving everyone else away, why not end it completely?

"What happened, Onii-chan?"

He didn't want to believe that though. He wanted to believe it was an accident, a mistake.

Yamato shook his head. "What happened to you?" When Takeru looked completely puzzled, he shook his head. "Why didn't you run away? You got away, you survived,  _Patamon_  survived!" takeru flinched. "Why did you come back here?"

_Why would you risk it?_

The words burst like a dam, like a no-duh smart remark that their mother would have scolded him for. "I wanted to find you guys, of course!"

"If we can't keep you safe, why would you come back?"

Takeru bristled; he couldn't help himself. "You couldn't protect me from Devimon and I didn't run away, did I?" He felt BlackMetalGarurumon beginning to pull away, he felt it like an itch. "You couldn't protect anyone, so I should just give up on you? Onii-chan, if you don't want me here, then just say that! Don't pin it on me!"

" _If you don't want me here, Yamato, then just tell me!"_

Yamato flinched as if Takeru had punched him. Takeru didn't seem to notice.

"Of course I came back, look what happened to Taichi-san! He thought Hikari-chan was dead and he hurt so much, how could I let you end up like that? And it's a good thing I did!" He pointed at the retreating Digimon. "Our Digimon know when things are wrong with us! Gabumon ended up like that because you're like this! I don't care what happened to Taichi-san but giving up won't bring him back here!"

Takeru wished he could shout this without crying, he wished he were stronger, so much stronger that he could have stopped all of this.

"I don't want you to die!"

Hikari suddenly knocked Takeru to the side as BlackMetalGarurumon went swinging towards them, The look on Yamato's face was nothing like he had ever seen before but even through that Takeru's face was solemn and upset, and maybe a little helpless. He didn't know what to do except scream. He couldn't fight his own brother. He'd lose. Or worse, he'd win.

Hikari kept moving with Takeru, trying to gain altitude. However, BlackMetalGarurumon was no longer interested in Yamato, but instead flew after them like a heat-seeking missile. Hikari pushed off, attempting to escape his range, but she was lagging fast. She simply, Yamato realized, was not naturally good at flying. She used to be a little girl, how could she be?

"Gabumon, what are you doing? They have nothing to do with this!"

Andrea swung her bloody blade, eyes calculating as the steel began to sizzle. "He senses your distress, your dysfunction. Our partners are only as independent as we let them be, Chosen Child. Our partners are only as free as we are."

"But why would I…?" Yamato made it to his feet. "I need to protect Takeru, not kill him!"

"You're stuck in an ocean of darkness, gel-brains," chirped a voice from above their heads. A dark blur swooped and snatched Takeru and Hikari from the air. Andrea visibly relaxed as Ivy spun from the large Digimon's ice. Under one arm, Takeru hugged Patamon close to him, broken from the too-old face that Yamato didn't know how to handle. "You're not in control of it anymore," Ivy added as she set them down. "If you ever were. So stop trying to be. You can't control your heart, but you can listen to it."

Yamato blinked and looked at the dull Crest around his neck. How long had it been since he had seen it glow?

Better question: how long had it been since he had tried to make it happen?

 _Could_  he remember? When was it? It was that last moment they had talked, when Taichi had sounded more like himself than he had in what had felt like weeks. It was before Takeru had been taken, before they had all completely failed. They had been preparing to fight MetalSeadramon again.

What had Taichi said?

He had looked so tired, like they hadn't fought for only a few days, but years. Years of endless war that had too many casualties. How many had protected them by then?

_"Hey, Yamato, listen, if something happens..."_

He had snorted then, because this was  _Taichi_. Taichi wasn't supposed to have second thoughts. He was supposed to be brave and stupid until the very end.

_"I'm serious! If I get taken out somehow- hey, it could happen! You guys can't always watch my back! Stop laughing!"_

But he had laughed, they both had. And Taichi had sounded like himself, like the big brother Hikari had once praised until she died, who she had protected with her last breath and blood.

Like their reckless leader that had led them home at one point.

He had turned sober just as fast though, so sober and painfully calm. Maybe there was a bit of resignation there. He couldn't remember.

_"If I get taken out, get the others home. I don't want another PicoDevimon thing, okay? Go home somehow, tell our folks what happened... maybe they can think of something. Get Gennai. Just... don't die 'cause I did, okay? It's not a game, it never was."_

Yamato raised his head to watch his partner again, who was still chasing after Takeru and Hikari as they flew. Hikari couldn't keep it up, her height was weak and there was blood dripping from her right side. The weary expression on her face said it all: she was about to drop.

Yamato had promised Taichi and he'd broken that promise without even trying to keep it. Cause he thought too much and hit himself too hard.

He didn't want to think anymore. he stopped thinking, he ran forward and rolled the two kids away from a blast of ice. He hugged Takeru for a moment, then, in a move Taichi would have been proud of, leaped onto BlackMetalGarurumon's back.

"Oh, no, you don't!" he shouted, and he felt his heart swell up with self-righteous anger. "You're supposed to be the smart one here, Gabumon! I'm not letting you do this! You don't want to, I know you don't!"

He was suddenly, vividly reminded about that moment with SkullGreymon. In one attack, he had brought back decades' worth of pictures in text book, grayscale and of burns and corpses of streets and buildings. He had thought that SkullGreymon, with all of his reminders of old history, had been terrifying enough to help him avoid that sort of situation if at all possible.

But here he was, neck-deep in his own loneliness. Somehow, that was even worse

"I have been a horrible friend, Gabumon," he muttered, gripping his partner's grey neck for dear life. "But I will be an even worse one if I still can't protect Taichi's sister and if I let you kill someone because I am a stupid coward!" He lifted his head. "Takeru, get ready!"

Takeru's eyes widened, and then he nodded. The tears were gone by now, and Yamato refused to cry his own. Not here, where everyone could see. He was still stubborn like that. He would cry in front of Gabumon, and beg forgiveness, if he had to.

His brother had kicked his way back into his brother's heart. He could only hope that Patamon had enough power to wake up Gabumon's.

Or that that girl's blade was fast enough to kill him.

* * *

For the second time that he could remember, Sayri found himself in free-fall, alone. Not that he wanted anyone else in free-fall to their possible demise with him, but well, the thought was not exactly a happy one. This time, however, his eyes were shut and he felt nothing. The fear from maybe seconds earlier had faded away and there was no sensation of drag or slide or however he felt when he ate something.

"Didn't he… swallow me?"

"Yeah! He did!"

Sayri's eyes popped openc and he felt his feet touch something like the ground, smooth, featureless, or maybe he just couldn't see it in this world without light. Or almost any light. His dark skin looked almost luminescent the more he stared at it. He smiled a little, puzzled before looking for the source of the voice.

"Where are you?"

"Here," giggled the voice, and it ran to stand in front of him. The red dragon peered at him. It was a large creature, almost as tall as his chest. At its sides were big, gleaming claws and fangs. At a distance, it looked terrifying. That effect was naturally ruined by the happy wags of its tail. Even the amber eyes looked entirely unthreatening. It was like Teru after a tooth filling, loopy, innocent.

"Hullo Sayri," it said. "I'm Guilmon! I've been waiting for you forever! And now," He seemed to dance from one giant foot to another. "You're really here! You're so tall and stuff now! It's so cool!"

Sayri blinked, puzzled. What the hell was going on? "...Airdramon?"

The dragon stopped dancing at the name, face falling and bat wing ears dropping. "He's not here, he can't hurt you in here."

"Except to digest me," Sayri said in a dry voice. This got a laugh out of Guilmon, though it came out sounding like a high-pitched giggle.

"Silly," he laughed. "He can't eat you now.  _You're_  going to eat him."

Sayri wrinkled his nose. That was still some disturbing imagery. Still, it was the only way to get out of this. "How?"

Guilmon whacked his tail through the air. "We're together. We'll find a way! We can break him up!"

This guy was insane, Sayri decided.

He rather liked that.

...

Teri dipped her feet into the water, watching Megadramon's jaws close after Sayri. The smug look on his face was almost worth getting up over. She could take her axes and run them through his worthless skull and tail and manage to drag Sayri out.

To think she had once been like that entitled little wart.

"Is this really going to work?" She asked Erin, who fiddled with the locket around her neck.

"No idea," was the reply. "That's on him."

Teri sighed. That was the truth, horrible as it was. "He's not like Andy enough. Too driven without a map."

"He'll lose that. We all need to lose something." Erin gave Teri a knowing glance. "Power."

"Stability," she countered with a pout.

"Peace." Erin ticked down her fingers. "Vibrance, control, memory. Though we all lose that."

Teri sighed. "It's too much anger. Maybe he's gonna lose that."

Erin watched as Megadramon dropped towards the sea, like a stone in slow motion. Her blue hair lifted gently in the sea breeze. "He will find his way. We wouldn't have brought him here if he couldn't."

Teri shrugged at that. There was that. She sat back and began to doze. Erin only watched the sea. If Jade got back before the others arrived, she could go after Ivy. She shouldn't have sent her in the first place, Erin was half a speed Digimon in the first place.

"I swear, if she gets here and says she got distracted by a shiny rock..." Erin rubbed her eyes. "She's taking forever..."

The world went quiet again.

Then, with a loud splash, Jade flew up from the water. Erin caught Teri as she was startled awake. Jade breathed great lungfuls of air before signing to them, his hands almost a blur.

"I've found a playmate!"

The girls looked at each other and shared dangerous smiles.

The timing couldn't have been better.


	23. Strike-Back!

"Umm…"

"What?"

"I can't think of anything."

Sayri snorted. "If it makes you feel better, dude, I have no idea either."

Guilmon's ear wings drooped like a despondent dog's. "We're not very good at this, huh?" He stopped his padding around the black space and made his way back to Sayri's side. Sayri almost hesitated, then reached up to pat the dragon's snout.

"Hey, I usually leave the heavy thinking to my little brother, Haru." He grinned. "I tend to give myself a cramp most of the time and all." Sayri shrugged. "Everyone's usually smarter than me."

"But you're not dumb," Guilmon protested. "You figured out to get here, to meet me! So you can't be dumb!" He paused, scratching a large claw under his chin. "Or just not that dumb. You could still be a little…"

Sayri sweatdropped. "You really remind me of Ivy, little dude." He waved his hands in emphasis. "You know, cause you're all blunt and chipper at the same time… hate to see you get angry."

Guilmon looked puzzled, the tip of his tail giving an odd wag. Then something seemed to click. He bounded over to Sayri, knocking him over. "Ivy?" His growling voice had become a bright squeak. "You know Ivy? You've met her? She's alive?"

Sayri rubbed his eyes. "Ivy's not exactly an uncommon name." He racked his brains for words that could sum up the craziness that was Ivy, and grumbled for a moment. "Uh… dark skin, smart mouth, kinda shameless?"

Guilmon bounced off of him. Sayri rubbed his stomach, watching in bemusement as the red dragon spun around the void. If Sayri hadn't heard his dad in the shower, he'd have thought the dragon was singing. When he turned around, he laughed. "That's Ivy, it is! How is she? Is she happy? Are they happy?"

Sayri almost thought he had a headache coming on. Was that a big deal when you were being digested? "They?"

"Ivy, Andy, Eri, Jade, Teri," He ticked down on his claws. "And Alex! You know him right? He got hurt real bad and that was the last I saw them, ever."

Sayri stared. "Alex?" Well, he knew the others were  _old_ , but he really wished they were like: six times less secretive than they were.

Guilmon stopped his hopping dance. He tilted his head, sniffing at him. "Alex, he was the leader, he's all… shiny and bright. What was his name, he always wanted to be called Alex…" He groaned. "Kay, I'm just gonna show you."

Sayri shifted back. "You're gonna what?"

Guilmon shook his head. "Gimme a minute, I gotta do this. Because you have to know." He started pacing, amber eyes glowing. "I think if you know what I know and I know what you know, then we'll know what to do, you know?"

"No!" Sayri exclaimed, exasperated. "Just tell me."

"Okay!" He was all chirpy again, god damn, how did he do that? "How do you know Ivy and them?"

Sayri sweatdropped and scratched his head. "Um, Andy saved my life. You?"

Guilmon giggled. "I met them once."

Sayri let out a groan and laid back on the 'ground'. "We are connected somehow, smart-ass answers and all." He cracked his leg and groaned. That hurt way more than it should have. "Details, dragon-dude. Before I start disintegrating."

"I told you," Guilmon said, pouting. "You aren't going to be disintegrated. And I met them because you're supposed to meet them."

He really wished the guy would give answers instead of more damn questions. "Sorry, I was what now?"

Guilmon looked a little exasperated, so much so his fangs were showing, "You have a Digivice, you have me. You are a Chosen Child now, but you didn't go before." He smiled innocently. "Why didn't you come? They needed you."

Sayri tensed, waiting for his temper to rise, for his unconscious defensiveness to kick in that was so damn  _painful_. It didn't come, and he took advantage of that to make a couple of slow, even breaths. The anger was something he knew, but this… this sort of helplessness was something he wasn't familiar with. He didn't like it much.

He sighed. "I… I guess I didn't know."

Guilmon blinked, then bobbed his head. "Okay!"

Sayri stared at him. "Just… okay?" No yelling, no defensiveness? Nothing?

Guilmon nodded again. "Yeah!"

The human sweatdropped. "Are you really Airdramon?" He, as much as he hated to think about it, kind of got Airdramon and his psycho dragon issues. Guilmon made him think of his brothers, of Teru's being just "okay". Up until now, it had never felt like enough. "But damn, it sure sounded  _nice_.

Guilmon sniffed. "Nuh-uh, no way!" The affront in his voice came out like a squeaking grumble, amber eyes twitching at the same time instead of just one or the other. Sayri muffled a snort and Guilmon continued on. "He took me in for the connection. By his master's orders. He wouldn't be smart enough to do it himself. His masters made the outside all broken and grey and gross, ya know? He killed  _the kids_!"

He let out a sudden snarl and Sayri scrambled back, face paling. The dragon's pupils had slit as he growled at nothing. "He went to the place where the babies were  _born_  and killed them! Smashed them all up and  _laughed_ and someone like that isn't a _llowed_  to have you or them or  _anyone_!" The sheer volume of his voice shook the space. "Not  _again_! Not ever! They won't take anyone!"

Sayri made himself get up and move towards his quivering Guilmon.  _Already his,_ he thought. He raised his hands. "Calm down, man!" he shouted. "Freakin' out's all confusing. Just… Just tell me or show me or whatever, okay?"

Guilmon's eyes were glaring a hole into another area. Sayri figured if Airdramon was here, he'd be a lump of flesh and scales. "He's a Dark Master's  _pet_ ," he sneered. "He ate me to eat you and he's just a conforming toy. He's  _stupid_ , like  _them_." He drooped a bit, rage draining like rain going into a manhole. He swished his tail. "The bad guys were supposed to be good, all bright and justicey and stuff. They weren't! They shoulda been! An' cause of that…" He sniffled, the noise like the deflation of a balloon. "Cause o' that they all died…"

Sayri vividly remember Ivy carrying him like a package. Ghosts couldn't do that. He pulled out the Digivice and Guilmon sniffed it, placing one claw over the screen. "I'm going to show you now," he said, and his expression looked scarily resigned. "I can't explain it, it's too hard, but I can show you." He tapped its screen again and Sayri's vision turned white, obscuring everything and everyone. He shut his eyes. That much light was painful, damn…

At the sound of running water, which how was that around, he opened them again.

"Well, looks like I'm not in stomach pit anymore… probably." Nah, he probably was. Was Guilmon super powerful and could show him cool things? Or depressing things. This was probably depressing. Below his feet were a few small creatures. Sayri couldn't help his crooked smile. "Heh, baby Digimon look pretty cute… too bad they grow into scary, awesome things."

A little red one, one that looked a lot like Guilmon, but smaller and more like a beach ball, leaned towards the river, then fell in with a splash. Using all of the strength in its stubby legs, it pulled itself up onto a stone. It breathed a sigh of relief.

Sayri grumbled and sighed. "This place is weird…" It smelled like peace, or flowers, or something. Then the nearby trees rustled, and the little Digimon began to flee. The on on the stone was making unsteady hops across the river, but froze when he heard the sound of snarling.

A large black dog was sniffing at the air, its red eyes darting back and forth. It caught sight of the creature standing on the rocks, and its expression grew to something like a smile. The amber eyes widened and the creature bolted, running from the sound of excited barks. Sayri felt his body float forward and grimaced, deciding to go with it. That was probably Guilmon.

They passed trees until they arrived at a small clearing. A blonde child, they couldn't have been more than ten, was whittling at a stick. She didn't look up until what was probably Guilmon nearly hit her, crashing into the tree. Her blue eyes lifted and Sayri stared.

"Teri?"

She didn't hear him, probably couldn't, but the way she moved was quick and smooth. She was fast, and her mouth set in a familiar, dry frown. She picked up the smaller creature and the dog growled at her as it arrived. "Protecting that, little ragdoll?"

Teri curled it into her arms. "You're so cute," she said, and Sayri winced. It was the lilt of her voice that proved it, he could hear the beginnings of the dark edge that would color it, that made her rasp in pain at the near losing of her insides.

"So cute," agreed the dog, moving forward. "A useful little sack of meat. Would you give him here?"

A delicate eyebrow arched and as she moved, Sayri noticed she was barefoot. "I would not. Your compliments give me pause." There was something so aristocratically contemptuous in her voice that made him laugh. She'd always been a little haughty, he guessed.

"Then would you rather become a second course?"

Her eyes flickered and her line of a frown became a smile. "Was that a threat?"

"A possible peek into the future!" The dog lunged and Asteria sidestepped, moving to the side of the tree. She sidestepped again, like a dancer. Then something tiny smacked into its head.

"I told you not to leave my side, Aster," it scolded. "You've worried Andrea."

Her eyes glittered. "My apologies." The quirk of her lips said she didn't mean it. Another figure, and this he was sure was Andrea. She was fast with that knife in her hand and the dog backed away. All of his teeth were bared, but she didn't pay much attention.

"You okay?"

"I made some friends," Teri said brightly. "They have teeth."

"A lot of them," muttered the Digimon by her foot.

The dog let out a howl. Andrea tensed and gave a sharp whistle, spreading her feet. The dog lunged, only to be tackled aside by a large purple blur. It snarled and plunged its teeth into the dog's neck. In seconds, it was screaming.

"Could have gotten here a bit faster, Dorumon," Teri muttered. Sayri snickered. Andrea was pointedly looking away.

Moments later, the Dorumon trotted back over to them, licking blood off its lips with a smile. "We should return to the others, before the friends it called find out where we are."

Andrea had a look on her face that Sayri could only describe as agitated. "Did you have to do all of that?"

Dorumon chortled. "Of course. Anything to keep you safe, my lady." Andrea's eyes flickered and she looked away. Regardless, her fingers touched his ear, stroking it. He batted it away with a roll of his eyes. "I am not a common cat, my lady. Do refrain."

Teri giggled.

"It's a shame you have a knife so beautiful," Dorumon mused, watching Andrea sheathe it again. "You have a cat's tongue and a weak stomach, a suicidal combination."

Andrea replaced her knife at her belt, tucking her brown ponytail back into place. "You would be squeamish about blood and violence if you were made into an example."

"On the contrary, I'd find it beautiful."

"Pig," Teri said, turning her nose to the air.

Dorumon only laughed and Sayri winced. If that was Andrea's partner, no wonder violence was so candid to her. Prick. He watched the Digimon pick up a sword made of sharpened bone and grimaced. Okay, he was  _really_ happy none of them had one of those.

Or maybe she did. That was a scary thought.

Not quite as scary as the dread starting to prickle the back of his neck.

"You guys okay?"

An auburn head peeked in through the darkness of the undergrowth. "Eri's starting to tear at her skirt, worried about you two."

Teri whirled and waved a still-in-shock little Guilmon (Sayri still had no idea what he was actually called.) "Alex, look! We found a new friend and he didn't bite me."

Sayri blinked. Then rubbed his eyes. Then he blinked again. Nope, he was still seeing it. He was still seeing  _Xavier Shay_  wandering over, black-haired and blue-eyed, and maybe a few inches shorter, but the way he walked and stood, the way he patted Teri's head, the affection was all that older man.

Sayri felt like he was going to vomit all over again.

* * *

Yamato threw himself over Takeru and rolled them both away. He grimaced as the claw grazed over his hair. "Get up, Takeru!"

Takeru rushed to his feet, pushing them aside. Yamato grimaced as they separated again. BlackMetalGarurumon kept going after him, then Hikari, and leaving the clearing in ruins as he did so.

His partner shrieked and in that shriek, Yamato thought he could hear a sobbing child. Yamato grit his teeth. Gabumon didn't deserve this.

 _You don't deserve it either,_ whispered a nasty voice in his mind. Yamato ignored it and glanced toward Andrea. She ran her hand over her sword in rhythmic strokes. Her hand was almost painted red now, but she didn't even notice.

"I'm sorry, Gabumon," he murmured. The red eyes saw him but did not see him, and lunged, knocking him into one of the few still standing tree trunks. Yamato coughed and heard a loud crack.

"Onii-chan!" Takeru shouted. Yamato coughed again, something bubbling in his throat. He spat, and it was red. He was starting to have trouble breathing.

"P-Please," he choked out. "P-please…"

Ivy dove from the air, planting both feet square into BlackMetalGarurumon's snout. He grimaced and pushed her away. Andrea struck, slashing and the cybernetic wolf leaped back then forward. Andrea was knocked into a tree. Righting herself against it, she swung towards his raised paw. Metal clanged and they separated. Andrea's arm bled and it was slow at blocking the next blow. He knees bucked and she glared, throwing him back. In seconds the glare was replaced with a smile and they started again. More trees fell and blood hit the ground with pieces of scrap.

Andrea laughed. "Oh it feels good to be in danger."

BlackMetalGarurumon didn't seem to agree. He blasted a blizzard of ice from his mouth and Andrea dodged. Her moves were a little slower. He threw her aside. Her sword clattered to the ground and she coughed, spitting blood for almost a full minute.

Yamato lunged for the blade. It was blood slick against his gloved hands and so heavy he almost dropped it. He yanked his gloves off and managed to grip it in both hands and drag it forward. In the moments he attempted to lift if up, BlackMetalGarururmon was moving closer to Hikari and Takeru again, even with Holy Angemon's blade raised. He was raising his purple blade high and that was what prompted Yamato forward and he swung the blade up with trembling arms into one cybernetic leg as HolyAngemon slicing the snout-

The air screamed and the reflexive lash out threw them all backwards. The sword went flying, barely missing his own head. The wolf turned on him and lumbered closer, like a broken shark looming closer.

Andrea rushed past him, snatching the saber from the ground and slashing the mouth like the shape of the cross. She slid down, blood sizzling on the metal wherever it touched. She stabbed upwards and dragged it through the chest cavity in one desperate tug.

The wolf let out one last shriek, but all Yamato heard was  _thank you._


	24. Evergreen

Piemon watched his world crumble from the comfort of his tent, reclining in a comfortable chair. He toyed with his champagne flute, chuckling to himself. "Nothing like watching ants scurry," he says to himself. "It's almost like those "dramas" humans watch, only much more bloody." Honestly, it's much more interesting as well.

The images on the monitor flickered, changing to the swirling rush of water. Grey and blue overlapped and frothed below the screen of the hovering camera. PIemon would have frowned if he had thought it was worth it. instead he tapped his fingers on his throne. "Intriguing…." Was the Net Ocean keeping its foil at bay? How rude. No wonder MetalSeadramon was still breathing. And coherent. he should probably put the poor fool out of his misery soon. He wasn't going to last.

It was a shame the dragon was just so  _stubborn._

Not that it mattered in the grand scheme of things, the Deep Ones seemed to relish the opportunity to feed.

He flicked his fingers and the monitor changed again. The images on the screen changed to the darkened world, resting like eyes on the many figures struggling to regain their breath in a bloody forest clearing. He smiled again, this one more thoughtful.

Those children who lacked a scent, that girl who was supposed to be dead, they had broken his toy. And he hadn't even gotten to watch! How droll. All that effort to bring a pup to heel. How interesting could they be?" Perhaps they were holding back, or even hindered by these new forms. A possibility. Mayhaps… well, there was something he could look into. But was it the right time yet?

They were monsters, most definitely. A monster could know its own kin by nose and skin and now was no different. Only humanoids could do these things, not humans. Only monsters sang to blood and flame and laughed in the face of death. Not even Digimon were immune to that moniker. Piemon had great confidence in being that terrifying, but considering that girl should have been dead and wasn't, perhaps he had lost his edge.

 _Once I ripped apart gods,_  he thought with a wistful sigh.  _Ruling doesn't suit me._

He wondered how such monsters were made? Devouring? Crucifixion? Prayer? He knew dying had to be a part of it; the girl of light had drowned. So it was ressurection of some kind. Hopefully painful. Would that explain what he had found on a midday stroll?

"Fascinating," he said to no one in particular. "Truly fascinating."

There was a rumble from behind his throne and Piemon chuckled. "Are you worried for our MetalSeadramon?"

The whirling gears of Mugendramon's throat clanged against each other most inelegantly before he spoke. "My servant is polluting his waters."

Oh so it was pretending to be concerned. "Yes," the clown drawled in reply. "It ate the human, probably poisoned him."

"Good." Was it his imagination or did Mugendramon's creak almost sound amused. "It will tie up a loose end."

"Quite." Piemon sipped his champagne. It was a shame Mugendramon was not a very good conversation partner. He heard another whirl, but the dragon cid ncot leave. He must want to see the end. Piemon changed cameras.

He supposed he could indulge in that.

* * *

Erin felt a comforting pulse between her eyes and looked to her left. Moments later, Jade pulled himself from the water again. The salt dulled his hair from gentle pink to dull salmon, but he didn't care. He was grinning as he went to her, kissing her with a nostalgic ferocity. She spat the taste of salt from her mouth when he stepped away, rolling her eyes.

"We ready?" she asked, deciding to avoid the smart remarks. She could always try them on Sayri when he got back anyway. At his nod, she lifted the small locket and kissed it. A glow spread from its tiny frame, shrouding her in translucent blue armor. Erin glanced at her bracelets and smiled wearily. "I'm counting on you again, Jade. Don' screw up."

He let out a silent titter and smirked. It was a face she could recall from a youth where she had been desperate for an identity, a slot, just to fit this person's desire. Honestly, she had been an idiot. Erin reached out and cupped his cheek, and Jade leaned to it like a young cat and placed their fingers together.

"All right then." A golden, metallic head began to rise from the sea. The water frothed, as though ready to boil. Teri joined them and regarded the rising dragon with little more than irritation.

"I hate these things," Teri muttered to them. Erin laughed.

"Not a good intimidation tactic, is it?"

MetalSeadramon rose, looming over them. "Are all children as rebellious as you?"

Teri let out a shrieking yip of a laugh. "Yes, but we're not as fun." Her eyes glittered, like the rabbit who escaped the a cat's jaws.

"You've been around Ivy too much," Erin muttered under her breath and Jade let out a snort of air Metal Seadramon leaned down to look at the three of them, dwarfing their small frames with ease. Erin spat on his snout, then rolled to the side. The cannon had begun to charge. Jade dove into the water. Within seconds he was out of sight and ice began to coat the water. He hissed a laugh and floated free.

"You think you can play in my bath?" He dove, shattering the ice. Jade spun away. Erin took that moment to fly, scooping Teri up into her arms to roll to her back.

"Sorry," she muttered as Jade dove back under. "You need your arms."

"We'll work something out."

MetalSeadramon lashed his tail at the ice and it cracked. The sound itself was satisfying, but it was not loud enough, not strong enough. he fired at the water and Jade darted away. His tail lashed. If he dove, he would be on his own territory, he could call upon his men. But if he dove, he would be vulnerable to whatever was above, and they were more of an unknown than the swimmer. He had seen what that one had done to Pinocchimon, even if it had been injured in the attempt. It had driven an Ultimate to flight on its own. Now he was facing three of the monsters.

First… melt the ice.

MetalSeadramon let out an earsplitting shriek. The Hangyomon shrieked back within minutes. Something sharp dug into his throat and he tossed it back. One leaped to cradle the axe. He moved to encase it in his jaws and then pulled away with a howl, shaking free of the ice. He swung his tail and heard the gratifying sound of a thunk. But that wasn't strong enough either. There were nco broken bones.

From the shore, the pink one jumped to its feet, still smiling. Too alive, too raw, how dare it act like it was the one with all of the power? The cannon's energy seared the air and the blue one leaped in the way. Good, two shredded by flame.

Except… they weren't. A shield covered burned arms and the rest of their bodies, spinning triangle after triangle of gold.

MetalSeadramon couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips. "Who are you and what rock have you been under all of this time, for me to avoid such a fight?"

The pink let out a laugh that gurgled with the chill of the many old whirlpools, with the froth of the grey water the dragon hoped to soon eradicate. That one would be first.

The blue took to the air again, water dripping and soothing each burn one by one. "If we had been around this whole time, you wouldn't have had a shot, maggot."

She dropped and as the fight continued to rage, the sky began to grow dark with clouds.

* * *

 _This is so damn_ weird.

Sayri had lost count of how many times he had thought this by this point. But there was no other way to put it. It was like watching a movie with faded film reels. Sometimes it would skip around, and words would be missed, or the whole thing would cut off entirely. What he could decipher though, was fairly simple: becoming a Chimera was freaking heartbreaking.

From where he sat on a tree branch, he could watch up to six kids have the time of their lives. It was like those camping trips Haru always talked about. People swapped stories around the fire, idiots threw acorns at each other, they would fall asleep with that gung-ho camaraderie that the mere mention of brought Sayri to gagging.

If it weren't for the anthropomorphic monsters all over the area, hell, it'd be normal.

Adding them to the picture made his stomach roil.

"Pass a fish, will ya?" Ivy leaned up from where she had been sitting. She, honestly, seemed freaking bonkers. He had never seen a more annoying frown on someone's face. Then again, all he saw her do was grin like a psycho.  _She seems more handsome now,_  Sayri thought to himsel

"Yeh got legs," Jade sniped, chewing on a fish. Jade looked weird with dark hair. "It's a couple steps." He kept tapping a pattern on Erin's slim leg, who shifted with embarrassment.

Ivy stuck out her tongue. "Sleaze. You can leave 'em alone for like, a second, can't ya?"

"And you can contribute to yer own survival,  _can't ya_?"

Sayri mussed up his hair in exasperation. he wasn't sure what was more surreal, that Ivy's inexhaustible desire to pick a fight or that Jade was basically Erin's past role model.

Erin just looked back and forth between them, hands raised as if to grab one of them by the wrist and stop them, but it never happened. The most she would do is tug on Jade's purple-studded ears, sensitive from a not too long ago piercing and see him wince. He leaned over and lit a cigarette with a lit stick. Ivy grimaced, though her heart wasn't in it. Sayri had seen it happen five times in a row.

"Dude, that's not healthy."

"And yet I'm not dead." At Ivy's grunt of continued displeasure, he waved the cigarette at her. "Whassa matter, girl? Aster needs pamperin, Andy will be back with her soon."

"That ain' it," she muttered. Her eyes flicked to the figure standing guard only a short distance away, staff crossed over one arm. When even Erin was looking at her, roused from her thoughts, she shook her head. "Never mind. It don' matter."

"Liar," Erin said with sympathy. Iby still glared at her, and she shrank like a opossum looking to live up to its name.

"None o' ya'll will listen," Ivy continued like she hadn't spoken, kicking a clump of dirt. "I keep tellin' ya, they're crazy, they're… bonkers or something. I don't like 'em, I don't! You guys keep thinkin' them Digimon are all great…"

"They pulled us from the shit boonies," Jade said with a roll of his eyes and a puff from the cigarette. He still wanted to know how the heck he still had any of those left. "You may have been born pissy and with that tree root sprouting out of your butt, but the rest of us  _appreciate_ them bein' all nice and helpful."

"Only cause you've got cheese curd for brains," Ivy shot back with a small cackle, throwing up her hands. "They're droolin' after our bones or something! They're gonna bite your pretty butt and it'll be quiet for the five seconds they take to swallow before they take us next!"

Jade simpered. "You think I'm pretty!" He laughed. "Love you too."

"You would zero in on that," Ivy muttered, ears darkening her already cocoa colored skin. Sayri had laughed the first time, but now Ivy's persistence over the whole thing was making his skin crawl. She had argued this to Teri, who had tuned her out at sentence one. Andrea had believed her, but well, what could they do? The Digital World was nuts. They couldn't survive by themselves. That dependence, the helplessness, seriously, it was a set up for sheer hell to break loose.

It didn't help that the longer this went on, the more Guilmon babbled in Sayri's ears.

"What d'ya think, Erin?"

Erin shifted on cher tree stump, surprise making the freckles vivid on her cheeks. She stuttered a bit, chewing on her lip to think of an answer.

Ivy snorted. "Never mind, you'll just agree with ego-boy for a kiss."

God, had he sounded like that? … Probably.

Erin shook her head. "You're both idiots," she said.

Ivy looked dumbfounded, but the recovery was almost game character level fast. "What, cause we can't do anything? We can run, hide, find some of the other Digimon. Them nicer ones!"

"And go where?" Erin's thin eyebrow flew up high on her forehead "And do what? They know our smell. We've got these things." She held out the familiar device and shook her head. "It doesn't matter if we trust them. We're weak humans, we're stuck no matter where we go."

"You're such a nihilist," Kudamon commented with a sly smile as he returned to them. "No wonder V-mon bangs his head everywhere."

Erin let out a boyish laugh as Ivy looked down, subsiding. Sayri sighed. Ivy made his paranoia seem like parental concern, and he  _punched_  the people he didn't like.

For a while, the air was silent. Even the crackling of the fire seemed to be on mute.

Then the air was ripped with a scream.

Kudamon turned. "I leave them for five minutes-" He bolted away and the humans barely waited to stamp out the fire before going after him.

Sayri covered his mouth, afraid he was going to be sick. Behind him, Guilmon had begun to frantically chant under his high-pitched breath, like the chant would change history.

When they reached Teri, she was slumped against a crumbling wall, eyes frozen wide. At the sight of Kudamon, however, she started to tremble, making to flee. Kudamon frowned and paused. "Aster?"

"S-Stay away from me!" She made to turn and collapsed, a red stain spreading from her back. Kudamon took another couple of pawsteps forward, then he paused. "Where are they?" The others looked around, puzzled

Andrea and Xavier, along with their partners, were nowhere to be found.

"Go ahead," Kudamon said, and Ivy opened her mouth to argue. "There's more of you, I'll head back to find the other Digimon. I'm small enough. No one will notice." He made to nudge Teri forward but the girl whimpered and scrambled to her feet, bolting away. Kudamon made a few sounds that sounded like a swear word and raced after her.

Ivy made to go after her but Erin's fingers closed around her wrist and pulled her onward. Sayri hesitated to look at Kudamon. There was no concern in that face. If maggots had faces, it would be the one that little Digimon was wearing right now: hunger.

The next time Asteria would scream, no one would hear it this time, and for very good reason. The three humans had reached a ruin and were calling now. The panic was enough to destroy enmity and beg for mercy.

They arrived to a room, Erin somehow first. She had the presence of mind to slap her hands over her friends' mouths. Her eyes were frozen wide.

Andrea - for it could only be Andy with such a grotesque smile - lowered Xavier to the ground. He was shaking, semi-conscious and blood trailing down ankles. Andrea licked around her mouth, which was ringed red. She was turning paler, the scars standouts with the fresh wounds marking her skin. She didn't turn to them, and Dorumon didn't either. He was stalking towards her, mouth open and grinning through saliva.

The vision cut off then as Megadramon laughed. "Aren't you glad all I could do was  _swallow_  you?"

**Author's Note:**

> If I have butchered this German, I implore any German speakers or readers to please kindly correct me as I am going into Japanese and Hebrew, not German. I probably will end up studying it and every other language that comes up in here. Don't ask, I love the sound of other languages. Also, I apologize for the lack of symbols for certain letters. I wasn't sure it would transfer over.
> 
> "Blutwich Dolch, anfallen!"- Bloody Dagger, assault!
> 
> "Sabel" -referring to a type of blade known as a saber, or sabre depending on your spelling.
> 
> "Blut"-Blood
> 
> "Sturzen."-Overthrow
> 
> "Rust Schrein"-Rust Shrine
> 
> "Schlafen."-Sleep
> 
> And that's that. Since you have made it all the way to the end, I ask you to please drop a few words in that box there. All comments, witticisms, and questions are adored. Thanks, you guys! Off to work on the Noriko sidefic.


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